Burkitt Lymphoma: Pathogenesis and Immune Evasion

Overview

Journal J Oncol

Specialty Oncology

Date 2010 Oct 19

PMID 20953370

Citations 17

Authors

Jason M God

Azizul Haque

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

B-cell lymphomas arise at distinct stages of cellular development and maturation, potentially influencing antigen (Ag) presentation and T-cell recognition. Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is a highly malignant B-cell tumor associated with Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) infection. Although BL can be effectively treated in adults and children, leading to high survival rates, its ability to mask itself from the immune system makes BL an intriguing disease to study. In this paper, we will provide an overview of BL and its association with EBV and the c-myc oncogene. The contributions of EBV and c-myc to B-cell transformation, proliferation, or attenuation of cellular network and immune recognition or evasion will be summarized. We will also discuss the various pathways by which BL escapes immune detection by inhibiting both HLA class I- and II-mediated Ag presentation to T cells. Finally, we will provide an overview of recent developments suggesting the existence of BL-associated inhibitory molecules that may block HLA class II-mediated Ag presentation to CD4+ T cells, facilitating immune escape of BL.

Citing Articles

Identifying Safeguards Disabled by Epstein-Barr Virus Infections in Genomes From Patients With Breast Cancer: Chromosomal Bioinformatics Analysis.

Friedenson B JMIRx Med. 2025; 6:e50712.

PMID: 39885374 PMC: 11796484. DOI: 10.2196/50712.

Ki-67 as a Marker to Differentiate Burkitt Lymphoma and Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma: A Literature Review.

Harlendea N, Harlendo K Cureus. 2024; 16(10):e72190.

PMID: 39583511 PMC: 11584211. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.72190.

From virus to cancer: Epstein-Barr virus miRNA connection in Burkitt's lymphoma.

Jalilian S, Bastani M Infect Agent Cancer. 2024; 19(1):54.

PMID: 39425210 PMC: 11487968. DOI: 10.1186/s13027-024-00615-1.

Clinical application of circulating cell-free lymphoma DNA for fast and precise diagnosis of Burkitt lymphoma: Precision medicine for sub-Saharan Africa.

Chamba C, Mbulaiteye S, Balandya E, Schuh A Camb Prism Precis Med. 2024; 1:e13.

PMID: 38550928 PMC: 10953760. DOI: 10.1017/pcm.2023.1.

Mechanism and therapeutic implications of pomalidomide-induced immune surface marker upregulation in EBV-positive lymphomas.

Jaeger H, Davis D, Nair A, Shrestha P, Stream A, Yaparla A Sci Rep. 2023; 13(1):11596.

PMID: 37463943 PMC: 10354044. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38156-z.

References

Moormann A, Lozada J . Burkitt lymphoma in Uganda: 50 years of ongoing discovery. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2008; 52(4):433-4. DOI: 10.1002/pbc.21840. View

Rudensky A, Beers C . Lysosomal cysteine proteases and antigen presentation. Ernst Schering Res Found Workshop. 2005; (56):81-95. DOI: 10.1007/3-540-37673-9_5. View

Deyrup A . Epstein-Barr virus-associated epithelial and mesenchymal neoplasms. Hum Pathol. 2008; 39(4):473-83. DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2007.10.030. View

Roucard C, Thomas C, PASQUIER M, Trowsdale J, Sotto J, Neefjes J . In vivo and in vitro modulation of HLA-DM and HLA-DO is induced by B lymphocyte activation. J Immunol. 2001; 167(12):6849-58. DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.167.12.6849. View

Yustein J, Dang C . Biology and treatment of Burkitt's lymphoma. Curr Opin Hematol. 2007; 14(4):375-81. DOI: 10.1097/MOH.0b013e3281bccdee. View

Onizuka T, Moriyama M, Yamochi T, Kuroda T, Kazama A, Kanazawa N . BCL-6 gene product, a 92- to 98-kD nuclear phosphoprotein, is highly expressed in germinal center B cells and their neoplastic counterparts. Blood. 1995; 86(1):28-37. View

Munz C, Moormann A . Immune escape by Epstein-Barr virus associated malignancies. Semin Cancer Biol. 2008; 18(6):381-7. PMC: 2615476. DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2008.10.002. View

de Leval L, Hasserjian R . Diffuse large B-cell lymphomas and burkitt lymphoma. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 2009; 23(4):791-827. DOI: 10.1016/j.hoc.2009.04.004. View

Jilg W, Voltz R, Mairhofer H, Munz I, Wolf H . Expression of class I major histocompatibility complex antigens in Epstein-Barr virus-carrying lymphoblastoid cell lines and Burkitt lymphoma cells. Cancer Res. 1991; 51(1):27-32. View

10.

Oriol A, Ribera J, Bergua J, Gimenez Mesa E, Grande C, Esteve J . High-dose chemotherapy and immunotherapy in adult Burkitt lymphoma: comparison of results in human immunodeficiency virus-infected and noninfected patients. Cancer. 2008; 113(1):117-25. DOI: 10.1002/cncr.23522. View

11.

Rasti N, Falk K, Donati D, Gyan B, Goka B, Troye-Blomberg M . Circulating epstein-barr virus in children living in malaria-endemic areas. Scand J Immunol. 2005; 61(5):461-5. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3083.2005.01589.x. View

12.

Nesbit C, Tersak J, Prochownik E . MYC oncogenes and human neoplastic disease. Oncogene. 1999; 18(19):3004-16. DOI: 10.1038/sj.onc.1202746. View

13.

Lunemann J, Munz C . Autophagy in CD4+ T-cell immunity and tolerance. Cell Death Differ. 2008; 16(1):79-86. DOI: 10.1038/cdd.2008.113. View

14.

Leung C, Haigh T, Mackay L, Rickinson A, Taylor G . Nuclear location of an endogenously expressed antigen, EBNA1, restricts access to macroautophagy and the range of CD4 epitope display. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010; 107(5):2165-70. PMC: 2836662. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0909448107. View

15.

Matloubian M, Concepcion R, Ahmed R . CD4+ T cells are required to sustain CD8+ cytotoxic T-cell responses during chronic viral infection. J Virol. 1994; 68(12):8056-63. PMC: 237269. DOI: 10.1128/JVI.68.12.8056-8063.1994. View

16.

Gerrard M, Cairo M, Weston C, Auperin A, Pinkerton R, Lambilliote A . Excellent survival following two courses of COPAD chemotherapy in children and adolescents with resected localized B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: results of the FAB/LMB 96 international study. Br J Haematol. 2008; 141(6):840-7. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2008.07144.x. View

17.

Sinclair A, Palmero I, Peters G, Farrell P . EBNA-2 and EBNA-LP cooperate to cause G0 to G1 transition during immortalization of resting human B lymphocytes by Epstein-Barr virus. EMBO J. 1994; 13(14):3321-8. PMC: 395229. DOI: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1994.tb06634.x. View

18.

Mi J, Manches O, Wang J, Perron P, Weisbuch S, Marche P . Development of autologous cytotoxic CD4+ T clones in a human model of B-cell non-Hodgkin follicular lymphoma. Br J Haematol. 2006; 135(3):324-35. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2006.06294.x. View

19.

Khanna R, Burrows S, Moss D, Kurilla M, Cooper L . Targeting Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) through the class II pathway restores immune recognition by EBNA1-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes: evidence for HLA-DM-independent processing. Int Immunol. 1997; 9(10):1537-43. DOI: 10.1093/intimm/9.10.1537. View

20.

Schlee M, Holzel M, Bernard S, Mailhammer R, Schuhmacher M, Reschke J . C-myc activation impairs the NF-kappaB and the interferon response: implications for the pathogenesis of Burkitt's lymphoma. Int J Cancer. 2007; 120(7):1387-95. DOI: 10.1002/ijc.22372. View