title: Losing B cell identity.
abstract: The transcription factor Pax5 is essential for the initial commitment of hematopoietic progenitors to the B cell lineage. Recently, our understanding of the lineage commitment process has been extended with the finding that Pax5 is also continuously required throughout B cell development to reinforce commitment, as inactivation of Pax5 in mature B cells results in their de-differentiation to a progenitor stage that is capable of multi-lineage potential. The reliance of B cell identity on a single gene is not without its problems as the loss of Pax5 results in B cell malignancies in mouse models and mutation in human PAX5 is the most-common genetic lesion in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
authors.affiliation: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carotta
authors.forename: Stephen L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Nutt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D051757:PAX5 Transcription Factor / Q000502:physiology*; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D051757:PAX5 Transcription Factor; C497281:PAX5 protein, human