Oncogenic Vav1-Myo1finduces therapeutically targetable macrophage-rich tumor microenvironment in peripheral T cell lymphoma

Peripheral T cell lymphoma not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS) comprises heterogeneous lymphoid malignancies characterized by pleomorphic lymphocytes and variable inflammatory cell-rich tumor microenvironment. Genetic drivers in PTCL-NOS include genomic alterations affecting the VAV1oncogene; however, their specific role and mechanisms in PTCL-NOS remain incompletely understood. Here we show that expression of Vav1-Myo1f, a recurrent PTCL-associated VAV1fusion, induces oncogenic transformation of CD4+T cells. Notably, mouse Vav1-Myo1flymphomas show T helper type 2 features analogous to high-risk GATA3+human PTCL. Single-cell transcriptome analysis reveals that Vav1-Myo1falters T cell differentiation and leads to accumulation of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in the tumor microenvironment, a feature linked with aggressiveness in human PTCL. Importantly, therapeutic targeting of TAMs induces strong anti-lymphoma effects, highlighting the lymphoma cells’ dependency on the microenvironment. These results demonstrate an oncogenic role for Vav1-Myo1fin the pathogenesis of PTCL, involving deregulation in T cell polarization, and identify the lymphoma-associated macrophage-tumor microenvironment as a therapeutic target in PTCL.