Genetics of Follicular Lymphoma Transformation

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is an indolent disease, but 30%-40% of cases undergo histologic transformation to an aggressive malignancy, typically represented by diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The pathogenesis of this process remains largely unknown. Using whole-exome sequencing and copy-number analysis, we show here that the dominant clone of FL and transformed FL (tFL) arise by divergent evolution from a common mutated precursor through the acquisition of distinct genetic events. Mutations in epigenetic modifiers and antiapoptotic genes are introduced early in the common precursor, whereas tFL is specifically associated with alterations deregulating cell-cycle progression and DNA damage responses…

• FC
  Fondazione Cariplo
• AI
  Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro

  Award: 10007
• UD
  Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale
• UD
  Università degli Studi di Perugia
• UN
  U.S. National Library of Medicine