Cited by 313Multiple Myeloma Research and TreatmentsCancer Genomics and DiagnosticsLymphoma Diagnosis and Treatment

APOBEC family mutational signatures are associated with poor prognosis translocations in multiple myeloma

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Walker, Brian A., Wardell, Christopher P., Murison, Alex, Boyle, Eileen M., Begum, Dil B., Dahir, Nasrin M., Proszek, Paula Z., Melchor, Lorenzo +13 more·2015·Nature Communications

Abstract

We have sequenced 463 presenting cases of myeloma entered into the UK Myeloma XI study using whole exome sequencing. Here we identify mutations induced as a consequence of misdirected AID in the partner oncogenes of IGH translocations, which are activating and associated with impaired clinical outcome. An APOBEC mutational signature is seen in 3.8% of cases and is linked to the translocation-mediated deregulation of MAF and MAFB, a known poor prognostic factor. Patients with this signature have an increased mutational load and a poor prognosis. Loss of MAF or MAFB expression results in decreased APOBEC3B and APOBEC4 expression, indicating a transcriptional control mechanism. Kataegis, a further mutational pattern associated with APOBEC deregulation, is seen at the sites of the MYC translocation. The APOBEC mutational signature seen in myeloma is, therefore, associated with poor prognosis primary and secondary translocations and the molecular mechanisms involved in generating them. Rearrangements of the Ig loci are essential for generating antibody diversity but abnormal translocations can be a driving event for myeloma. Here Walker et al. perform whole exome sequencing on myeloma patients to capture the diversity of mutational changes.

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  • In MGUS and SMM, MAFB translocations associate with high-risk genomic features but do not always predict progression.

    “In the context of MGUS and SMM, these translocations still associate with high-risk genomic features,59,97,98 but strangely do not always predict progression as one might expect.9,90,99”

    From Evolution of Multiple Myeloma from a Genomic Perspective (2026) · cites this paper as [97]

    The Discussion (page unavailable) says t(14;20), the MAFB translocation, is associated with a long time to progression in MGUS and asymptomatic myeloma, supporting the progression point. It links the adverse translocation subgroups to high mutation load in myeloma, but does not establish that MGUS or SMM cases carrying them have high-risk genomic features. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • MAFB translocations are associated with poor outcomes, genomic complexity, and hyper-APOBEC in MM.

    “MAFB translocations are known to be associated with poor outcomes, genomic complexity, and hyper-APOBEC in MM.”

    From Evolution of Multiple Myeloma from a Genomic Perspective (2026) · cites this paper as [97]

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  1. [41]Nuijten M Wetzels R Matzke D Dolan CV Wagenmakers EJ Default Bayesian hypothesis tests for correlation, partial correlation, and mediation 2014 1.0 edn 24903686

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Authors
Walker, B. A., Wardell, C. P., Murison, A., Boyle, E. M., Begum, D. B., Dahir, N. M., Proszek, P. Z., Melchor, L., Pawlyn, C., Kaiser, M. F., Johnson, D. C., Qiang, Y.-W., Jones, J. R., Cairns, D. A., Gregory, W. M., Owen, R. G., Cook, G., Drayson, M. T., Jackson, G. H., Davies, F. E., & Morgan, G. J.
Affiliations
  • Institute of Cancer Research (GB)
  • University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (US)
  • University of Leeds (GB)
  • University of Birmingham (GB)
  • Newcastle University (GB)
Corresponding author
  • Walker, Brian A.
  • Morgan, Gareth J.
Venue
Nature Communications
Published
2015-04-23
Volume
6
Issue
1
Pages
6997-6997
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2059995794
Cited by
313
References
49
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 48 · 2021: 46 · 2020: 32 · 2019: 29 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 31 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 6
FWCI
20.44
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • White Rose Research Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • White Rose Research Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) (submittedVersion)
  • Newcastle University ePrints (Newcastle Univesity)
Funders
  • Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust
  • Cancer Research UK (A17761, A9941, A12136, A10410, A14261)
  • University of Leeds
  • University of Nottingham
  • Medical Research Council (MR/L01629X/1)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Hematology › Multiple Myeloma Research and Treatments
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Lymphoma Diagnosis and Treatment
Keywords
multiple myeloma, APOBEC mutational signature, APOBEC3B, AID, IGH translocation, MYC translocation, MAF, MAFB, kataegis, mutational load, prognosis, transcriptional regulation
MeSH terms
Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Cytidine Deaminase, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Multiple Myeloma, Mutation, Prognosis, Translocation, Genetic, Minor Histocompatibility Antigens, Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc, Gene Expression Profiling, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-maf, MafB Transcription Factor

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