Molecular pathogenesis of germinal center-derived B cell lymphomas

Abstract

B cell lymphomas comprise a heterogeneous group of genetically, biologically, and clinically distinct neoplasms that, in most cases, originate from the clonal expansion of B cells in the germinal center (GC). In recent years, the advent of novel genomics technologies has revolutionized our understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of lymphoid malignancies as a multistep process that requires the progressive accumulation of multiple genetic and epigenetic alterations. A common theme that emerged from these studies is the ability of lymphoma cells to co-opt the same biological programs and signal transduction networks that operate during the normal GC reaction, and misuse them for their own survival advantage. This review summarizes recent progress in the understanding of the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that drive the malignant transformation of GC B cells. These insights provide a conceptual framework for the identification of cellular pathways that may be explored for precision medicine approaches.

Keywords: Burkitt lymphoma; diffuse large B cell lymphoma; epigenetic dysregulation; follicular lymphoma; genetic alterations; germinal centers; immune evasion; somatic hypermutation.