Bcl-6 (B-cell lymphoma 6) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the BCL6 gene. BCL6 is a master transcription factor for regulation of T follicular helper cells (TFH cells) proliferation.[5] BCL6 has three evolutionary conserved structural domains.[6] The interaction of these domains with corepressors allows for germinal center development and leads to B cell proliferation.

BCL6
Available structures
PDBOrtholog search: PDBe RCSB
Identifiers
AliasesBCL6, BCL5, BCL6A, LAZ3, ZBTB27, ZNF51, B-cell CLL/lymphoma 6, B cell CLL/lymphoma 6, transcription repressor, BCL6 transcription repressor
External IDsOMIM: 109565; MGI: 107187; HomoloGene: 7640; GeneCards: BCL6; OMA:BCL6 - orthologs
Orthologs
SpeciesHumanMouse
Entrez
Ensembl
UniProt
RefSeq (mRNA)

NM_001130845
NM_001134738
NM_001706
NM_138931

NM_009744
NM_001348026

RefSeq (protein)

NP_001124317
NP_001128210
NP_001697

NP_001334955
NP_033874

Location (UCSC)Chr 3: 187.72 – 187.75 MbChr 16: 23.78 – 23.81 Mb
PubMed search[3][4]
Wikidata
View/Edit HumanView/Edit Mouse

The deletion of BCL6 is known to lead to failure of germinal center formation in the follicles of the lymph nodes, preventing B cells from undergoing somatic hypermutation.[6] Mutations in BCL6 can lead to B cell lymphomas because it promotes unchecked B cell growth.[6] Clinically, BCL6 can be used to diagnose B cell lymphomas and is shown to be upregulated in a number of cancers.[6]

Other BCL genes, including BCL2, BCL3, BCL5, BCL7A, BCL9, and BCL10, also have clinical significance in lymphoma.

Normal physiological function

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Structure

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The protein encoded by the BCL6 gene is a zinc finger transcription factor that has three evolutionarily conserved domains. BCL6 contains a (1) N-terminal BTB/POZ domain (Broad-complex, Tramtrack and Brick-a-brac/Pox virus and Zin finger family domain), (2) a central RN2 region, and (3) another zinc finger at the C-terminal end.[6] This structure is vital to BCL6’s function – an exon 7 skipping splice variant encodes a shorter form of the protein which lacks the first two zinc fingers of the DNA binding domain,[7] for example.

Function

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Bcl-6 is a master transcription factor for the regulation of T follicular helper cells (TFH cells). Bcl-6 is expressed when the cytokines Il-6 and/or Il-21 are recognized; these cytokines can be produced by antigen presenting cells (APCs: B cells, dendritic cells, or macrophages) when activated. This occurs when a naïve T helper cell recognizes antigen and needs to migrate to the follicle as a T follicular helper cell (TFH cell).[8] TFH cells are vital to the generation of germinal centers in the follicles of secondary lymphoid organs, where B cells divide and help fight infections.[5]

As a master transcription factor, BCL6 interacts with a variety of co-repressors and other proteins to influence the T cell lineage. BCL6 has been shown to modulate the STAT-dependent Interleukin 4 (IL-4) responses of B cells[citation needed] and suppress the production of BCL2.[6]

Importantly, Bcl-6 should only be expressed when there is an antigen present and further stimulation of the immune system is necessary, since BCL6 prevents cell death (apoptosis). Unchecked growth can lead to lymphomas. Normally, the action of BCL6 is negatively regulated by the gene PRDM1 encoding the transcription factor Blimp-1.[9] The antagonistic effect with Blimp-1 is a powerful role of BCL6, because it shuts off the normal pathway of differentiation toward other cell types.

Differentiation of TFH Cells

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BCL6 is currently considered a lineage-defining transcription factor in TFH cell differentiation.[10] Without the expression of BCL6, naïve CD4+ T helper cells will not turn into TFH cells. When a naïve CD4+ T cell binds to MHC class II and an antigen peptide on a dendritic cell, a signaling cascade ensues in which some proliferating T cells become TFH cells. Signaling through the IL-6 receptor leads to TFH cell differentiation, and in turn the expression of BCL6 in TFH lineage-defined cells. BCL6 allows, through transcriptional regulation, unique cell markers to be expressed, resulting in an effective TFH cell.[10]

Transcriptional regulation of BCL6 is vast and complex, but many of the outcomes of BCL6’s transcriptional regulation on TFH cells have been elucidated. TFH cells upregulate CXCR5, IL-6R, and ICOS during their migration to the germinal center. After interacting with a B cell presenting the cognate antigen in the follicle, they also upregulate SAPhi, CD200hi and BTLAhi on their cell surface in the newly formed germinal center. Additionally, BCL6 directly binds and suppresses genes that are downregulated in non-TFH cells, including Ccr7, Selplg, and Gpr183, and other chemokine receptor targets.[10]

Clinical Value

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Role in B Cell Lymphomas

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BCL6 is found to be frequently translocated and hypermutated in diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL)[11][12][13] and contributes to the pathogenesis of DLBCL. BCL6 is exclusively present in the B-cells of both healthy and neoplastic (cancerous) germinal centers. This allows lymphoma’s to be diagnosed based on immunohistochemical staining, revealing the presence of Burkitt's lymphoma, follicular lymphoma and the nodular lymphocyte predominant subtype of Hodgkin's disease. It is often used together with antibodies to Bcl-2 antigen to distinguish neoplastic follicles from those found in benign hyperplasia, for which Bcl-2 is negative.[14]

Many different changes to BCL6 can lead to inhibited activity and are known to be linked with B-cell lymphomas, including direct effects (mutation and post-translational effects) as well as indirect effects (imbalanced interactions with other mutated proteins). Mutations to the transcription factors for BCL6, MEF2B and IRF8, are common in direct transcriptional changes that cause DLBCL. Additionally, post-translational phosphorylation can be affected by mutations in FBXO11. Finally, BCL6’s interaction with other mutated proteins, including CREBBP, EP300, EZH2, and KM2TD, can also lead to B-cell lymphomas.[6] Given its role as a master transcription regulator, many genetic and epigenetic changes can be responsible for B-cell lymphomas; these interacting proteins are likely a few of many that affect BCL6’s function.

Diagnostic Ability

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Tracking BLC6 in B cells using immunohistochemical staining or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) can be used to diagnose cancers and may indicate other illnesses as well. As mentioned previously, tracking BCL6 in tandem with BCL2 can lead to the diagnosis of B-cell lymphomas. More recently, it has been hypothesized that the presence of BCL6 in serum could be used to diagnose endometriosis due to an overactivation of BCL6 in endometriotic females,[15][16] although this diagnostic method has not been found to work.[17] Nonetheless, the understanding of BCL6 will likely continue to be used to diagnose diseases.

Targeted Therapies

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Given BCL6’s role in B-cell lymphomas, it has been suggested as a therapeutic target for cancer treatment. Targeting BCL6 in cancer patients should lead to the deletion of BCL6 in tumor cells. Peptidomimetics, small molecules, and natural compounds have been developed and tested in preclinical models, showing promise of anti-lymphoma activity.[18]

Interactions

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BCL6 has been shown to interact with

* BCOR,[19]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c GRCh38: Ensembl release 89: ENSG00000113916Ensembl, May 2017
  2. ^ a b c GRCm38: Ensembl release 89: ENSMUSG00000022508Ensembl, May 2017
  3. ^ "Human PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
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  13. ^ Migliazza A, Martinotti S, Chen W, Fusco C, Ye BH, Knowles DM, et al. (December 1995). "Frequent somatic hypermutation of the 5' noncoding region of the BCL6 gene in B-cell lymphoma". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 92 (26): 12520–12524. Bibcode:1995PNAS...9212520M. doi:10.1073/pnas.92.26.12520. PMC 40389. PMID 8618933.
  14. ^ Chetty R, Cooper K, Gown AM (2016). Leong's manual of diagnostic antibodies for immunohistology (3rd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge university press. ISBN 978-1-107-07778-2.
  15. ^ Yoo JY, Kim TH, Fazleabas AT, Palomino WA, Ahn SH, Tayade C, et al. (July 2017). "KRAS Activation and over-expression of SIRT1/BCL6 Contributes to the Pathogenesis of Endometriosis and Progesterone Resistance". Scientific Reports. 7 (1): 6765. Bibcode:2017NatSR...7.6765Y. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-04577-w. PMC 5533722. PMID 28754906.
  16. ^ Evans-Hoeker E, Lessey BA, Jeong JW, Savaris RF, Palomino WA, Yuan L, et al. (September 2016). "Endometrial BCL6 Overexpression in Eutopic Endometrium of Women With Endometriosis". Reproductive Sciences. 23 (9): 1234–1241. doi:10.1177/1933719116649711. PMC 5933165. PMID 27222232.
  17. ^ Sansone AM, Hisrich BV, Young RB, Abel WF, Bowens Z, Blair BB, et al. (September 2021). "Evaluation of BCL6 and SIRT1 as Non-Invasive Diagnostic Markers of Endometriosis". Current Issues in Molecular Biology. 43 (3): 1350–1360. doi:10.3390/cimb43030096. PMC 8929102. PMID 34698105.
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  19. ^ a b Huynh KD, Fischle W, Verdin E, Bardwell VJ (July 2000). "BCoR, a novel corepressor involved in BCL-6 repression". Genes & Development. 14 (14): 1810–1823. doi:10.1101/gad.14.14.1810. PMC 316791. PMID 10898795.
  20. ^ Vasanwala FH, Kusam S, Toney LM, Dent AL (August 2002). "Repression of AP-1 function: a mechanism for the regulation of Blimp-1 expression and B lymphocyte differentiation by the B cell lymphoma-6 protooncogene". Journal of Immunology. 169 (4): 1922–1929. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.169.4.1922. PMID 12165517.
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  23. ^ a b c Lemercier C, Brocard MP, Puvion-Dutilleul F, Kao HY, Albagli O, Khochbin S (June 2002). "Class II histone deacetylases are directly recruited by BCL6 transcriptional repressor". The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 277 (24): 22045–22052. doi:10.1074/jbc.M201736200. PMID 11929873.
  24. ^ Gupta S, Jiang M, Anthony A, Pernis AB (December 1999). "Lineage-specific modulation of interleukin 4 signaling by interferon regulatory factor 4". The Journal of Experimental Medicine. 190 (12): 1837–1848. doi:10.1084/jem.190.12.1837. PMC 2195723. PMID 10601358.
  25. ^ a b Wong CW, Privalsky ML (October 1998). "Components of the SMRT corepressor complex exhibit distinctive interactions with the POZ domain oncoproteins PLZF, PLZF-RARalpha, and BCL-6". The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 273 (42): 27695–27702. doi:10.1074/jbc.273.42.27695. PMID 9765306.
  26. ^ Davies JM, Hawe N, Kabarowski J, Huang QH, Zhu J, Brand NJ, et al. (January 1999). "Novel BTB/POZ domain zinc-finger protein, LRF, is a potential target of the LAZ-3/BCL-6 oncogene". Oncogene. 18 (2): 365–375. doi:10.1038/sj.onc.1202332. PMID 9927193.
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Further reading

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  • Ueda C, Akasaka T, Ohno H (July 2002). "Non-immunoglobulin/BCL6 gene fusion in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: prognostic implications". Leukemia & Lymphoma. 43 (7): 1375–1381. doi:10.1080/10428190290033305. PMID 12389616. S2CID 27096971.
  • Niu H (December 2002). "The proto-oncogene BCL-6 in normal and malignant B cell development". Hematological Oncology. 20 (4): 155–166. doi:10.1002/hon.689. PMID 12469325. S2CID 24245607.
  • Tokuhisa T (December 2002). "[A role for Bcl6 in immune memory development]". Tanpakushitsu Kakusan Koso. Protein, Nucleic Acid, Enzyme. 47 (16 Suppl): 2306–2312. PMID 12518453.
  • Ohno H (April 2004). "Pathogenetic role of BCL6 translocation in B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma". Histology and Histopathology. 19 (2): 637–650. doi:10.14670/HH-19.637. PMID 15024721.
  • Pasqualucci L, Bereshchenko O, Niu H, Klein U, Basso K, Guglielmino R, et al. (2004). "Molecular pathogenesis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: the role of Bcl-6". Leukemia & Lymphoma. 44 (Suppl 3): S5-12. doi:10.1080/10428190310001621588. PMID 15202519. S2CID 25565667.
  • Jardin F, Ruminy P, Bastard C, Tilly H (February 2007). "The BCL6 proto-oncogene: a leading role during germinal center development and lymphomagenesis". Pathologie-Biologie. 55 (1): 73–83. doi:10.1016/j.patbio.2006.04.001. PMID 16815642.
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This article incorporates text from the United States National Library of Medicine, which is in the public domain.