The NPM-ALK tyrosine kinase mimics TCR signalling pathways, inducing NFAT and AP-1 by RAS-dependent mechanisms.

Nucleophosmin-anaplastic lymphoma kinase (NPM-ALK) expression is associated with the lymphoid malignancy anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) and results from a t(2;5) chromosomal translocation. We show that NPM-ALK induces Ras activation and phosphorylation of the ERK MAP Kinase consistent with activation of the Ras-MAP Kinase pathway. Furthermore, we demonstrate that activation of Ras is necessary for inducing transcription via NFAT/AP-1 composite transcriptional binding sites. This activity is dependent on NPM-ALK forming complexes with proteins that bind to autophosphorylated tyrosine residues at positions 156, 567 and 664, associated with binding to IRS-1, Shc and PLCgamma, respectively. Specifically, NPM-ALK activates transcription from the TRE promoter element, an AP-1 binding region, an activity dependent on both Ras and Shc activity. Our results show that NPM-ALK mimics activated T-cell receptor signalling by inducing pathways associated with the activation of NFAT/AP-1 transcription factors that bind to promoter elements found in a broad array of cytokine genes.