Jennifer Amengual, MD

Therapeutic Targeting of the BCL6; p53 axis with Histone Deactylase Inhibitors in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), the commonest form of lymphoma, affects 20,000 people yearly. Bcl6, a critical protein involved in DLBCL, allows cancer cells to grow uncontrollably. p53, another crucial protein, turned off in DLBCL, ordinarily destroys pre-cancerous cells. Identification of the Bcl-6:p53 axis establishes an inverse relationship essential to the development of lymphoma. These proteins can be modified by novel drugs leading to silenced-Bcl6 and activated-p53, thus promoting cancer cell death. Understanding specific effects of these drugs on lymphoma will establish rationale to integrate them into conventional care, and lead to discovery of complimentary partners for future development.