New mutation linked to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)—a cancer of B cells—harbor a particular mutation in the gene encoding the receptor for B cell activating factor (BAFF), according to a paper published online on November 1 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (www.jem.org). BAFF, a soluble protein needed for B cell survival and maturation, is elevated in the blood of some NHL patients and is associated with poor prognosis. This BAFF-R mutation, identified by a team led by Anne Novak and Gail Bishop, generates a receptor that transmits stronger than normal signals, thus boosting B cell function.
Although present in fewer than 10% of the tumors analyzed in the study, this mutation provides further evidence of the importance of BAFF signaling in this dangerous malignancy.
Source: Rockefeller University Press
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