tissue lymphoma that expresses nuclear BCL10

The development of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is a multistage process. 1 This is best understood in gastric MALT lymphoma, the most common form. Typically, low-grade gastric MALT lymphoma arises from mucosal lymphoid tissue that is acquired usually as a reaction to Helicobacter pylori infection. 2, 3 Low-grade MALT lymphoma is initially confined to the gastric mucosa, and its growth depends critically on the contact help of H pylori–specific intratumoral T cells; therefore, it responds favorably to H pylori eradication therapy. 4-6 However, when the lymphoma invades the deep layers of the gastric wall and disseminates to local lymph nodes and distal sites, the tumor loses its dependence on H pylori-specific T cells and is no longer sensitive to H pylori eradication therapy. 7-9 Finally, low-grade gastric MALT lymphoma may transform into a more aggressive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). 10, 11 Direct12-14 and indirect antigen stimulation4, 5 and several genetic factors, including genetic instability, 15 trisomy 3, 16 p53 mutation/LOH, 17 p16 deletion, 18 t (1; 14)(p22; q32), 19 and t (11; 18)(q21; q21), 20, 21 are implicated in MALT lymphoma development. However, the molecular events underlying the multistep progression of the tumor remain largely unknown. Identification of the genes involved in MALT lymphoma-specific t (1; 14)(p22; q32) 22, 23 and t (11; 18)(q21; q21) 24-26 has provided fresh insights into the pathogenesis of this disease.T (1; 14)(p22; q32) causes overexpression of BCL10, an apoptosis regulatory molecule. 22, 23 In contrast to its expected oncogenic role, wild-type BCL10 has been …