A mouse model for Li-Fraumeni-Like Syndrome with cardiac angiosarcomas associated to POT1 mutations

The shelterin protein POT1 has been found mutated in many different familial and sporadic cancers, however, no mouse models to understand the pathobiology of these mutations have been developed so far. To address the molecular mechanisms underlying the tumorigenic effects of POT1 mutant proteins in humans, we have generated a mouse model for the human POT1(R117C) mutation found in Li-Fraumeni-Like families with cases of cardiac angiosarcoma by introducing this mutation in the Pot1a endogenous locus, knock-in for Pot1a(R117C). We find here that both mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and tissues from Pot1a(+/ki) mice show longer telomeres than wild-type controls. Longer telomeres in Pot1a(+/ki) MEFs are dependent on telomerase activity as they are not found in double mutant Pot1a(+/ki) Tert(-/-) telomerase-deficient MEFs. By using complementation assays we further show that POT1a pR117C exerts dominant-negative effects at telomeres. As in human Li-Fraumeni patients, heterozygous Pot1a(+/ki) mice spontaneously develop a high incidence of angiosarcomas, including cardiac angiosarcomas, and this is associated to the presence of abnormally long telomeres in endothelial cells as well as in the tumors. The Pot1a(+/R117C) mouse model constitutes a useful tool to understand human cancers initiated by POT1 mutations.

Automated summary

By generating a mouse model for the human POT1(R117C) mutation, this study found that the mutation leads to longer telomeres and exerts dominant-negative effects at telomeres. Heterozygous mice with this mutation also develop angiosarcomas, including cardiac angiosarcomas. This research provides important insights into human cancers initiated by POT1 mutations.