title: BLIMP1α, the master regulator of plasma cell differentiation is a tumor supressor gene in B cell lymphomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this review was to summarize recent knowledge of the structure and function of a transcriptional repressor, B lymphocyte induced maturation protein 1 (BLIMP1) and its participation in the pathogenesis of B lymphomas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This review summarizes the structure and function of BLIMP1, its major target genes and its role as a tumour suppressor in B cell lymphomas. We review our recent data implicating the loss of BLIMP1α as an important step in the pathogenesis of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) associated B cell lymphomas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BLIMP1 is a transcriptional repressor essential for the differentiation of germinal centre (GC) B cells to plasma cells. The loss of BLIMP1 in GC B cells could contribute to the pathogenesis of EBV-associated lymphomas by preventing plasma cell differentiation and viral replication.
authors.affiliation: School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom. k.vrzalikova@bham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vrzalikova
authors.forename: Ciaran Bernard John
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Woodman
authors.forename: Paul Gerard
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Murray
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor / Q000502:physiology*; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000502:physiology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D000074462:Positive Regulatory Domain I-Binding Factor 1; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D007136:Immunoglobulins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C087042:PRDM1 protein, human; D000074462:Positive Regulatory Domain I-Binding Factor 1