The Pax-5 Gene: A Pluripotent Regulator of B-cell Differentiation and Cancer Disease
Cet article passe en revue les travaux récents sur la fonction régulatrice du gène Pax-5 dans le développement des lymphocytes B et des cancers associés (lymphomes et leucémies lymphocytaires)
The Pax-5 oncogene encodes a potent transcription factor that plays a key role in B-cell development and cancerous processes. In normal B-lymphopoiesis, Pax-5 accomplishes a dual function by activating B-cell commitment genes while concomitantly repressing non–B-lineage genes. Given the pivotal importance of Pax-5–mediated processes in B-cell development, an aberrant regulation of Pax5 expression has consistently been associated with B-cell cancers, namely, lymphoma and lymphocytic leukemias. More recently, Pax-5 gene expression has been proposed to influence carcinogenic events in tissues of nonlymphoid origin by promoting cell growth and survival. However, in other cases, Pax-5 products have opposing effects on proliferative activity, thus redefining its generally accepted role as an oncogene in cancer. In this review, we attempt to summarize recent findings about the function and regulation of Pax-5 gene products in B-cell development and related cancers. In addition, we present new findings that highlight the pleiotropic effects of Pax-5 activity in a number of other cancer types. Cancer Res; 71(24); 1–6. ©2011 AACR.