Synergistic effect of Bcl2, Myc and Ccnd1 transforms mouse primary B cells into malignant cells

Background A synergistic effect resulting from a combination of BCL2 and MYC or MYC and CCND1 has been implicated in human B-cell lymphomas. Although the identification of other cooperative genes involved is important, our present understanding of such genes remains scant. The objective of this study was to identify the additional cooperative gene(s) associated with BCL2 and MYC or MYC and CCND1. First, we assessed whether Bcl2, Myc and Ccnd1 could cooperate. Next, we developed a synergism-based functional screening method for the identification of other oncogene(s) that act with Bcl2 and Myc. Design and Methods Growth in culture, colony formation and oncogenicity in vivo were assessed in mouse primary B cells exogenously expressing various combinations of Bcl2, Myc and Ccnd1. For the functional screening, Bcl2- and Myc-expressing primary B cells were infected with a retroviral cDNA library. Inserted cDNA of transformed cells in culture were then identified. Results Primary B cells exogenously expressing Bcl2, Myc and Ccnd1 showed factor-independent growth ability, enhanced colony-forming capability and aggressive oncogenicity, unlike the cases observed with the expression of any combination of only two of the genes. We identified CCND3 and NRAS as cooperative genes with Bcl2 and Myc through the functional screening. Conclusions Bcl2, Myc and Ccnd1 or Bcl2, Myc and CCND3 synergistically transformed mouse primary B cells into aggressive malignant cells. Our new synergism-based method is useful for the identification of synergistic gene combinations in tumor development, and may expand our systemic understanding of a wide range of cancer-causing elements.