title: The c-Rel transcription factor and B-cell proliferation: a deal with the devil.
abstract: Activation of the Rel/NF-kappaB signal transduction pathway has been associated with a variety of animal and human malignancies. However, among the Rel/NF-kappaB family members, only c-Rel has been consistently shown to be able to malignantly transform cells in culture. In addition, c-rel has been activated by a retroviral promoter insertion in an avian B-cell lymphoma, and amplifications of REL (human c-rel) are frequently seen in Hodgkin's lymphomas and diffuse large B-cell lymphomas, and in some follicular and mediastinal B-cell lymphomas. Phenotypic analysis of c-rel knockout mice demonstrates that c-Rel has a normal role in B-cell proliferation and survival; moreover, c-Rel nuclear activity is required for B-cell development. Few mammalian model systems are available to study the role of c-Rel in oncogenesis, and it is still not clear what features of c-Rel endow it with its unique oncogenic activity among the Rel/NF-kappaB family. In any event, REL may provide an appropriate therapeutic target for certain human lymphoid cell malignancies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Street, Boston, MA 02215, USA. gilmore@bu.edu
authors.forename: Thomas D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Gilmore
authors.forename: Demetrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kalaitzidis
authors.forename: Mei-Chih
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Daniel T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Starczynowski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D015448:Leukemia, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000502:physiology; D020569:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-rel / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016328:NF-kappa B; D020569:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-rel