From MALT lymphona genetics to pathogenesis

Non-Hodgkin lymphomas are among the most common cancer types. Their incidence is increasing and they cause significant morbidity and mortality. Non-Hodgkin lymphomas result from transformation of B or T/natural killer cells. Their genetic hallmarks are chromosomal translocations resulting from aberrant rearrangements of IGH and TCR genes, which lead to inappropiate expression of genes at reciprocal breakpoints. These partner genes regulate a variety of cellular functions, includig gene transcription, cell cycle, apoptosis, and tumor progression. Cytogenetics followed by molecular genetic analysis of some of the recurring translocations continues to provide new insights into lymphomagenesis and cell biology. Objectives of this proposal are the investigations of genetic aberrations and pathways relevant for the genesis of MALT lymphoma. Our work should help to understand the complex biology of Non-Hodgkin lymphomas and to transfer the genetic data in meaningful biologically and clinical subsets. The emphasis of our investigations are to relate the genetic findings with morphologic and clinical tumor phenotypes to the point of the identifcation of target genes for therapeutic intervention.

Non-Hodgkin lymphomas are among the most common cancer types. Their incidence is increasing and they cause significant morbidity and mortality. Non-Hodgkin lymphomas result from transformation of B or T/natural killer cells. Their genetic hallmarks are chromosomal translocations resulting from aberrant rearrangements of IGH and TCR genes, which lead to inappropiate expression of genes at reciprocal breakpoints. These partner genes regulate a variety of cellular functions, includig gene transcription, cell cycle, apoptosis, and tumor progression. Cytogenetics followed by molecular genetic analysis of some of the recurring translocations continues to provide new insights into lymphomagenesis and cell biology. Objectives of this proposal are the investigations of genetic aberrations and pathways relevant for the genesis of MALT lymphoma. Our work should help to understand the complex biology of Non-Hodgkin lymphomas and to transfer the genetic data in meaningful biologically and clinical subsets. The emphasis of our investigations are to relate the genetic findings with morphologic and clinical tumor phenotypes to the point of the identifcation of target genes for therapeutic intervention.