title: Transcription factor networks in B-cell differentiation link development to acute lymphoid leukemia.
abstract: B-lymphocyte development in the bone marrow is controlled by the coordinated action of transcription factors creating regulatory networks ensuring activation of the B-lymphoid program and silencing of alternative cell fates. This process is tightly connected to malignant transformation because B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells display a pronounced block in differentiation resulting in the expansion of immature progenitor cells. Over the last few years, high-resolution analysis of genetic changes in leukemia has revealed that several key regulators of normal B-cell development, including IKZF1, TCF3, EBF1, and PAX5, are genetically altered in a large portion of the human B-lineage acute leukemias. This opens the possibility of directly linking the disrupted development as well as aberrant gene expression patterns in leukemic cells to molecular functions of defined transcription factors in normal cell differentiation. This review article focuses on the roles of transcription factors in early B-cell development and their involvement in the formation of human leukemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Experimental Hematopoiesis Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Somasundaram
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Experimental Hematopoiesis Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mahadesh A J
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Experimental Hematopoiesis Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ungerbäck
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Experimental Hematopoiesis Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sigvardsson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000502:physiology; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks / Q000502:physiology*; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics*; D054448:Precursor Cells, B-Lymphoid / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors