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Updated: May 9, 2026
15:07
VDJ-Seq: Deep Sequencing Analysis of Rearranged Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain Gene to Reveal Clonal Evolution Patterns of B Cell Lymphoma
Published on: December 28, 2015
Antigen selection in B-cell lymphomas--tracing the evidence
Lesley-Ann Sutton1, Andreas Agathangelidis, Chrysoula Belessi
1Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden.
Seminars in Cancer Biology
|August 13, 2013
Summary
Antigen-driven B cell receptor signaling fuels lymphoma development. Understanding this process is key to identifying causes and developing targeted therapies for B cell lymphomas.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- B cell receptor (BcR) signaling is crucial for B cell development but can be hijacked by malignant cells.
- Sustained BcR signaling, often triggered by antigens, fuels clonal expansion in lymphomas.
- Lymphomagenesis is increasingly viewed as a dynamic, antigen-driven process rather than purely stochastic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the detailed role of antigen in the development of lymphomas.
- To understand how malignant B cells exploit BcR signaling pathways for proliferation.
- To identify inciting agents and potential therapeutic targets in antigen-driven lymphomas.
Main Methods:
- Immunogenetic studies provide substantial evidence for antigen involvement.
- Analysis of BcR signaling pathways in B cell lymphomas.
- Functional studies exploring the dynamics of lymphomagenesis.
Main Results:
- Evidence strongly implicates both exogenous and self-antigens in lymphoma development.
- Lymphoma development is a functionally driven and dynamic process.
- Malignant B cells exploit normal BcR signaling for sustained growth.
Conclusions:
- Antigenic stimulation is a significant factor in lymphomagenesis.
- Further research is needed to identify specific inciting antigens.
- Targeting BcR signaling pathway effectors offers a promising therapeutic strategy for lymphomas.
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