Follicular lymphoma: too many reminders for a memory B cell

J Clin Invest. 2014 Dec;124(12):5095-8. doi: 10.1172/JCI79189. Epub 2014 Nov 10.

Abstract

Memory B cells are a dynamic subset of the mature B cell population that in some cases can reenter germinal centers (GCs) in response to iterative infections. Such a reactivation can lead to accumulation of genetic lesions in these cells, potentially from repetitive activation of the B cell mutator enzyme AID. Normal memory B cells do not survive repeated reentries into GCs. In this issue, Sungalee et al. demonstrate that memory B cells harboring the oncogenic BCL2:IGH translocation, which results in constitutive BCL2 expression, survive multiple GC entries upon repetitive immunization. Through these multiple GC reentries, the hallmark BCL2:IGH translocation enables AID-induced hypermutation and propagates clonal evolution toward malignant follicular lymphoma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • B-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism*
  • Cell Movement*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Humans
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / biosynthesis*

Substances

  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • Bcl2 protein, mouse