Nucleophosmin protein (NPM) mutants, corresponding gene sequences and uses thereof

1. Isolated oligonucleotide sequences encoding human nucleophosmin (NPM) comprising a loss of a tryptophan residue at position 290 and comprising a signal motif of nuclear export (NES) beginning at position 287 of the human nucleophosmin protein,

wherein the NES comprises the amino acid sequence YxxxYxxYxY (SEQ ID No 56) wherein Y is a hydrophobic amino acid selected from the group consisting of leucine, isoleucine, methionine, valine, phenylalanine, and x can be any amino acid, and

wherein said sequences are deoxyribonucleotide or ribonucleotide sequences.

2. Isolated oligonucleotide sequences encoding protein according to claim 1 , wherein both tryptophan residues 288 and 290 are deleted.

3. Isolated oligonucleotide sequences encoding the protein according to claim 1 , wherein said amino acid sequence YxxxYxxYxY (SEQ ID No 56) is selected from the group consisting of LxxxVxxVxL (SEQ ID No 1), LxxxLxxVxL (SEQ ID No 2), LxxxFxxVxL (SEQ ID No 3), LxxxMxxVxL (SEQ ID No 4), and LxxxCxxVxL (SEQ ID No 5).

4. Isolated oligonucleotide sequences encoding the protein according to claim 3

wherein the amino acid sequence LxxxVxxVxL (SEQ ID No 1) is selected from the group consisting of LCLAVEEVSL (SEQ ID No 6); LCMAVEEVSL (SEQ ID No 7); LCVAVEEVSL (SEQ ID No 8); LSRAVEEVSL (SEQ ID No 9); LCTAVEEVSL (SEQ ID No 10); LSQAVEEVSL (SEQ ID No 11); LCHAVEEVSL (SEQ ID No 12); LCRAVEEVSL (SEQ ID No 13); LCRGVEEVSL (SEQ ID No 14); LCQAVEEVSL (SEQ ID No 15); LCAAVEEVSL (SEQ ID No 16); LCKAVEEVSL (SEQ ID No 17);

wherein the amino acid sequence LxxxLxxVxL (SEQ ID No 2) is selected from the group consisting of LWQSLAQVSL (SEQ ID No 18); LWQSLEKVSL (SEQ ID No 19); LWQSLSKVSL (SEQ ID No 20); and LCTFLEEVSL (SEQ ID No 21);

wherein the amino acid sequence LxxxFxxVxL (SEQ ID No 3) is selected from the group consisting of LWQCFAQVSL (SEQ ID No 22); LWQCFSKVSL (SEQ ID No 23); LWQRFQEVSL (SEQ ID No 24); and LWQDFLNRL (SEQ ID No 25);

wherein the amino acid sequence LxxxMxxVxL (SEQ ID No 4) is selected from the group consisting of LWQSMEEVSL (SEQ ID No 26); and LWQRMEEVSL (SEQ ID No 27); or

wherein the amino acid sequence LxxxCxxVxL (SEQ ID No 5) is LWQCCSQVSL (SEQ ID No 28).

5. Isolated oligonucleotide sequences encoding the protein according to claim 1 wherein said human nucleophosmin protein comprises a VSLRK peptide (SEQ ID No 29) in the C-terminal region.

6. Isolated oligonucleotide sequences encoding the protein according to claim 5 further comprising a D-amino acid upstream of the N-terminal end of the amino acid sequence YxxxYxxYxY (SEQ ID No 56).

7. Isolated oligonucleotide sequences encoding the protein according to claim 1 , wherein said protein is fused to a reporter protein wherein said reporter protein is selected from the group consisting of EGFP, beta-galactosidase, luciferase, and GFP.

8. Isolated oligonucleotide sequences according to claim 1 , wherein said deoxyribonucleotide sequences include at least one of the sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 57 and 60-64 in the C-terminal region of the sequence of the human nucleophosmin.

9. Isolated oligonucleotide sequences according to claim 1 , wherein said sequences are labeled with an agent selected from the group consisting of fluorescent substance, biotin, radioisotope, and nanoparticle.

10. An isolated expression vector comprising the oligonucleotide sequences as defined in claim 1 .

11. An isolated host cell permissive for at least one of the proteins as defined in claim 1 .

12. A method of diagnosing acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or monitoring residual AML disease, the method comprising

detecting, in a biological sample from a subject, the presence of an oligonucleotide sequence according to any one of claims 1 , 2 and 3 - 7 , and

diagnosing the subject as having AML or residual AML disease when the oligonucleotide sequence is present in the sample,

wherein said detecting comprises nucleic acid amplification with a primer pair selected from:

i)

NPM1_25F:

(SEQ ID No 36)

5′-GGTTGTTCTCTGGAGCAGCGTTC-3′;

NPM1_111 2R:

(SEQ ID No 37)

5′-CCTGGACAACATTTATCAAACACGGTA-3′;

ii)

NPM1_390F:

(SEQ ID No 38)

5′-GGTCTTAAGGTTGAAGTGTGGT-3′;

NPM1_1043_R;

(SEQ ID No 39)

5′-TCAACTGTTACAGAAATGAAATAAGACG-3′;

iii)

NPM_940F_mutA

(SEQ ID No 40)

5′-GAGGCTATTCAAGATCTCTGTCT-3′;

NPM1_1112 R

(SEQ ID No 41)

5′-CCTGGACAACATTTATCAAAGACGGTA-3′;

iv)

NPM_940F_mutB

(SEQ ID No 42)

5′-GAGGCTATTCAAGATCTCTGCAT 3′;

NPM1_1112 R

(SEQ ID No 43)

5′-CCTGGACAACATTTATCAAACACGGTA3′;

v)

NPM_940F_mutC

(SEQ ID No 44)

5′-GAGGCTATTCAAGATCTCTGCGT-3′;

NPM1_1112 R

(SEQ ID No 45)

5′-CCTGGACAACATTTATCAAACACGGTA-3′;

vi)

NPM_940F_mutD

(SEQ ID No 46)

5′-GAGGCTATTCMGATCTCTGCCT-3′;

NPM1_1112 R

(SEQ ID No 47)

5′-CGTGGACAACATTTATCAAACACGGTA-3′;

vii)

NPM1 -F:

(SEQ ID No 48)

5′-TTAACTCTCTGGTGGTAGAATGAA-3′;

NPM1-R:

(SEQ ID No 49)

5′-CCAGACTATTTGCCATTCCTAAC-3′;

viii)

NPM1_89F_BamHI:

(SEQ ID No 50)

5′-GCCACGGATCCGAAGATTCGATGGAC-3′;

NPM1_1044R_EcoRI:

(SEQ ID No 51)

5′ATCAAGAATTCCAGAAATGAAATAAGA CG-3′;

ix)

cNPM-F:

(SEQ ID No 52)

5′-GAAGAATTGCTTCCGGATGACT-3′

and

cNPM mut.A-R:

(SEQ ID No 53)

5′-CTTCCTCCACTGCCAGACAGA-3′

or

cNPM mut.B-R:

(SEQ ID No 54)

5′-TTCCTCCACTGCCATGCAG-3′.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein a primer of the primer pair is labeled with an agent selected from the group consisting of fluorescent substance, biotin, radioisotope, and nanoparticle.