Targeted overexpression of Bcl-XL in B-lymphoid cells results in lymphoproliferative disease and plasma cell malignancies

Multiple myeloma is an incurable malignancy, and there is currently no mouse model that fully recapitulates the development and progression of the disease. We now describe a transgenic mouse that expresses a Bcl-XL transgene under the control of the 3'kappa immunoglobulin light chain enhancer, which is most active in murine B cells in late developmental stages. These mice developed nonmalignant plasma cell foci in the bone marrow and soft tissues and hyaline tubular casts in the kidneys. Median survival of the 3'KE/Bcl-XL mice was similar to littermate controls. When the 3'KE/Bcl-XL mouse was crossed to an Emu/c-Myc transgenic mouse, median survival of double transgenic progeny was 5.5 weeks. Peripheral blood and soft tissues were infiltrated with immature/mature B cells, and plasma cell lesions were identified in the bone marrow of all mice coexpressing Bcl-XL and c-Myc. These B- and plasma cell lesions demonstrated features consistent with malignancy. These results indicate that the 3'kappa immunoglobulin light chain enhancer can effectively target expression of Bcl-XL to B cells in late developmental stages, and they provide direct evidence that Bcl-XL can contribute to plasmacytomagenesis. Furthermore, this murine model serves as an important step in developing a novel genetically induced mouse model of plasma cell malignancies exhibiting bone marrow involvement.