Aberrant expression of MicroRNAs in B-cell lymphomas.

ABSTRACT

B-cell lymphomas represent a heterogeneous collection of more than twenty-five different malignancies. Classification is often challenging as primarily based upon, sometimes subjective, histopathological criteria and misdiagnosis can result in inappropriate treatment decisions. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) hold great promise as novel biomarkers (diagnostic, prognostic and predictive) of B-cell lymphoma in addition to being potential therapeutic targets. The most promising of these miRNAs more often than not play key regulatory roles in lymphopoiesis (development of lymphocytes) when under physiological conditions, and in the pathology of lymphoid malignancies when aberrantly expressed. In this review we consider the identity and functional role of miRNAs in the most common forms of B-cell lymphomas, their role in lymphopoiesis and their potential as biomarkers for these malignancies.