Sipa1 deficiency unleashes a host-immune mechanism eradicating chronic myelogenous leukemia-initiating cells

Abstract Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) caused by hematopoietic stem cells expressing the Bcr-Abl fusion gene may be controlled by Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). However, CML-initiating cells are resistant to TKIs and may persist as minimal residual disease. We demonstrate that mice deficient in Sipa1 , which encodes Rap1 GTPase-activating protein, rarely develop CML upon transfer of primary hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) expressing Bcr-Abl , which cause lethal CML disease in wild-type mice. Resistance requires both T cells and nonhematopoietic cells. Sipa1 −/− mesenchymal stroma cells (MSCs) show enhanced activation and directed migration to Bcr-Abl + cells in tumor tissue and preferentially produce Cxcl9, which in turn recruits Sipa1 −/− memory T cells that have markedly augmented chemotactic activity. Thus, Sipa1 deficiency uncovers a host immune mechanism potentially capable of eradicating Bcr-Abl + HPCs via coordinated interplay between MSCs and immune T cells, which may provide a clue for radical control of human CML.