Bcl-6

Bcl-6

A protein that marks germinal center-cell differentiation and regulates lymphocyte differentiation and immune response. Bcl-6 gene rearrangements and Bcl-6 protein expression are frequent in nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma and suggest a germinal center-derived B-cell origin for Barrett esophagitis.
See also: Barrett epithelium, Barrett syndrome.

Bcl-6

A 79-kDa POZ/zinc finger transcriptional repressor and proto-oncogene that maps to chromosome 3q27, which plays a role in B cell activation and proliferation within the germinal centre, and thus is a marker for germinal centre cells and germinal centre lymphomas, especially those lacking gene rearrangements.
Normal expression
Bcl-6 represses lymphocyte activation genes, including blimp-1, which plays a role in plasma cell differentiation. Bcl-6 may thus trigger malignant transformation by inhibiting terminal plasma cell differentiation.
Abnormal expression
Bcl-6 overexpression delays progression through the S phase of the cell cycle/apoptosis, and is present in one third of diffuse large B cell lymphomas