Variation of LEF-1 mRNA expression in low-grade B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

During normal B-lymphocyte development once cells pass the pro-B stage the transcription factor LEF-1, a key component of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, is down regulated. However studies have shown that B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) lymphocytes, which have a mature B-cell phenotype, still express abundant LEF-1. This study demonstrates that although LEF-1 mRNA is universally, highly expressed in B-CLL, expression of this gene is much lower or absent in the majority of low-grade B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). This suggests that there exist key differences in the activity of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway between low-grade B-cell malignancies.