细胞因子/趋化因子与经典型霍奇金淋巴瘤微环境

经典型霍奇金淋巴瘤(cHL)占霍奇金淋巴瘤(HL)的95%以上并有着相当独特的病理特征,其恶性成分霍奇金-里斯细胞(H/RS细胞)只占肿瘤组织的极少部分,存在于大量浸润性炎性细胞构成的微环境中。cHL组织学亚型及临床特征与不同的微环境相关,细胞因子/趋化因子与肿瘤细胞的的交互作用维持了肿瘤赖以生存的特殊微环境。通过分析探讨cHL不同亚型的微环境特点、参与微环境的细胞因子/趋化因子种类及在cHL生存、抗凋亡和免疫抑制中的重要作用,指出针对细胞因子/趋化因子为靶点的治疗可能成为今后生物治疗策略之一。     

Frequent mutation of histone-modifying genes in non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Follicular lymphoma (FL) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) are the two most common non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs). Here we sequenced tumour and matched normal DNA from 13 DLBCL cases and one FL case to identify genes with mutations in B-cell NHL. We analysed RNA-seq data from these and another 113 NHLs to identify genes with candidate mutations, and then re-sequenced tumour and matched normal DNA from these cases to confirm 109 genes with multiple somatic mutations. Genes with roles in histone modification were frequent targets of somatic mutation. For example, 32% of DLBCL and 89% of FL cases had somatic mutations in MLL2, which encodes a histone methyltransferase, and 11.4% and 13.4% of DLBCL and FL cases, respectively, had mutations in MEF2B, a calcium-regulated gene that cooperates with CREBBP and EP300 in acetylating histones. Our analysis suggests a previously unappreciated disruption of chromatin biology in lymphomagenesis.     

Oncogenically active MYD88 mutations in human lymphoma

The activated B-cell-like (ABC) subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) remains the least curable form of this malignancy despite recent advances in therapy. Constitutive nuclear factor (NF)-κB and JAK kinase signalling promotes malignant cell survival in these lymphomas, but the genetic basis for this signalling is incompletely understood. Here we describe the dependence of ABC DLBCLs on MYD88, an adaptor protein that mediates toll and interleukin (IL)-1 receptor signalling, and the discovery of highly recurrent oncogenic mutations affecting MYD88 in ABC DLBCL tumours. RNA interference screening revealed that MYD88 and the associated kinases IRAK1 and IRAK4 are essential for ABC DLBCL survival. High-throughput RNA resequencing uncovered MYD88 mutations in ABC DLBCL lines. Notably, 29% of ABC DLBCL tumours harboured the same amino acid substitution, L265P, in the MYD88 Toll/IL-1 receptor (TIR) domain at an evolutionarily invariant residue in its hydrophobic core. This mutation was rare or absent in other DLBCL subtypes and Burkitt's lymphoma, but was observed in 9% of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphomas. At a lower frequency, additional mutations were observed in the MYD88 TIR domain, occurring in both the ABC and germinal centre B-cell-like (GCB) DLBCL subtypes. Survival of ABC DLBCL cells bearing the L265P mutation was sustained by the mutant but not the wild-type MYD88 isoform, demonstrating that L265P is a gain-of-function driver mutation. The L265P mutant promoted cell survival by spontaneously assembling a protein complex containing IRAK1 and IRAK4, leading to IRAK4 kinase activity, IRAK1 phosphorylation, NF-κB signalling, JAK kinase activation of STAT3, and secretion of IL-6, IL-10 and interferon-β. Hence, the MYD88 signalling pathway is integral to the pathogenesis of ABC DLBCL, supporting the development of inhibitors of IRAK4 kinase and other components of this pathway for the treatment of tumours bearing oncogenic MYD88 mutations.     

Correlation between immunoglobulin light chain expression and variant translocation in Burkitt's lymphoma

Burkitt's-type lymphomas-leukaemias (BL) are monoclonal proliferations of malignant B lymphocytes. Irrespective of whether they carry the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome, these tumour cells have been shown consistently to have one of the specific reciprocal chromosome translocations, t(8; 14), t(2; 8) or t(8; 22), involving the long arm of chromosome 8 (on 8q24) and chromosome 14, 2 or 22 (on 14q32, 2p12 and 22q11, respectively). The latter chromosomes have been shown recently to carry genes for immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy chains, and kappa and lambda light chains, respectively. Furthermore, the localization of kappa light chains within 2pcen-2p13 encompasses the breakpoint observed in Burkitt's translocation (2p12). It was therefore considered of interest to determine whether the expression of immunoglobulin chains in BL cells is related to the type of chromosomal anomalies observed. We report here that there is a direct relationship between expression of immunoglobulin light chains and specific type of translocation: BL cells with t(8; 22) express lambda chains, whereas those with t(2; 8) express kappa chains.     

Oncogene-induced senescence as an initial barrier in lymphoma development

Acute induction of oncogenic Ras provokes cellular senescence involving the retinoblastoma (Rb) pathway, but the tumour suppressive potential of senescence in vivo remains elusive. Recently, Rb-mediated silencing of growth-promoting genes by heterochromatin formation associated with methylation of histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9me) was identified as a critical feature of cellular senescence, which may depend on the histone methyltransferase Suv39h1. Here we show that Emicro-N-Ras transgenic mice harbouring targeted heterozygous lesions at the Suv39h1, or the p53 locus for comparison, succumb to invasive T-cell lymphomas that lack expression of Suv39h1 or p53, respectively. By contrast, most N-Ras-transgenic wild-type ('control') animals develop a non-lymphoid neoplasia significantly later. Proliferation of primary lymphocytes is directly stalled by a Suv39h1-dependent, H3K9me-related senescent growth arrest in response to oncogenic Ras, thereby cancelling lymphomagenesis at an initial step. Suv39h1-deficient lymphoma cells grow rapidly but, unlike p53-deficient cells, remain highly susceptible to adriamycin-induced apoptosis. In contrast, only control, but not Suv39h1-deficient or p53-deficient, lymphomas senesce after drug therapy when apoptosis is blocked. These results identify H3K9me-mediated senescence as a novel Suv39h1-dependent tumour suppressor mechanism whose inactivation permits the formation of aggressive but apoptosis-competent lymphomas in response to oncogenic Ras.     

经典Wnt信号通路与弥漫大B细胞淋巴瘤

弥漫性大B细胞淋巴瘤(DLBCL)的发病机制虽未完全阐明,但研究显示与信号通路表达异常有关,如经典Wnt通路。在DLBCL发病机制的研究中观察到经典Wnt通路的重要下游因子β-catenin的表达和核内定位。同时证据显示经典Wnt通路不仅与DLBCL发病机制有关,还和DLBCL临床分期密切相关,经典Wnt通路通路有可能成为治疗DLBCL潜在的有用靶点。     

Immunoglobulin Cmu RNA in T lymphoma cells is not translated

It is widely believed that immunoglobulin genes might encode at least part of the receptor for antigen on the T lymphocyte. Evidence supporting this comes from the effects of anti-immunoglobulin idiotype antibodies on cellular immune networks and from the presence of idiotypes on immunologically active factors from T cells. Detailed molecular characterization of the receptors, however, has been seriously hampered by the lack of a suitable cellular source from which it might be isolated. The recent demonstration of Kemp et al. that thymocytes and certain cultured lines of mouse T lymphoma cells contain polyadenylated RNA molecules encoded by the immunoglobulin Cmu gene (Cmu RNA) prompted us to identify the corresponding protein molecules in those cells. As the haploid mouse genome contains a single Cmu gene, any polypeptide encoded by this gene should react with at least some of the antibodies present in rabbit anti-mouse IgM antiserum. In this letter we report that a number of T lymphoma lines, regardless of whether they contain Cmu RNA, synthesize no detectable mu polypeptides.     

Gene therapy: therapeutic gene causing lymphoma

The development of T-cell leukaemia following the otherwise successful treatment of three patients with X-linked severe combined immune deficiency (X-SCID) in gene-therapy trials using haematopoietic stem cells has led to a re-evaluation of this approach. Using a mouse model for gene therapy of X-SCID, we find that the corrective therapeutic gene IL2RG itself can act as a contributor to the genesis of T-cell lymphomas, with one-third of animals being affected. Gene-therapy trials for X-SCID, which have been based on the assumption that IL2RG is minimally oncogenic, may therefore pose some risk to patients.     

Altered nucleotide sequences of a translocated c-myc gene in Burkitt lymphoma

The nucleotide sequence of a translocated c-myc gene in a Burkitt lymphoma reveals multiple base changes in the coding region. Twenty-five base changes, generating 16 codon alterations, were found in the first coding exon; no changes occur in the second coding exon. These changes are probably the result of somatic mutations that occurred during and after translocation, and may contribute to oncogenesis by allowing synthesis of an altered c-myc gene product.     

Interferon amplifies complement activation by Burkitt's lymphoma cells

Interferon was originally described as an antiviral agent produced shortly after onset of infection with most viruses. However, in addition to inducing an antiviral state, interferon inhibits cell division, increases the expression of cell-surface antigens, boosts the cytotoxic activity of natural killer (NK) cells and modulates several immune functions of lymphocytes and macrophages. Moreover, a special class of interferon (immune interferon or IFN-gamma) is produced by T cells following stimulation with antigen or interaction with mitogens. The different methods by which interferon is induced and its multiple effects suggest that it may be part of a first-line defence system controlling the spread of virus infections and the proliferation of modified 'self' cells that have been affected by virus infection or neoplastic transformation. The ability of certain human lymphoma cells to activate the alternative pathway of complement is well established. Here we show that monoclonal antibody-purified interferon can amplify the ability of certain tumour cells to activate complement via the alternative pathway. This demonstration may reflect an additional, as yet unknown, role of interferon in inducing non-specific anti-tumour immunity.