FOXP2-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphomas exhibit a poor response to R-CHOP therapy and distinct biological signatures

What is it about?

FOXP2 is able to bind DNA and regulate gene expression. It has been widely studied in the brain since its mutation was identified in people with an inherited severe speech and language disorder. There is now emerging evidence that FOXP2 also plays a role in cancer and here we have identified FOXP2 protein expression in a common type of cancer derived from white blood cells called diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Patients with FOXP2-positive lymphomas had inferior survival and a subgroup of their tumours had altered immune response signatures.

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Why is it important?

Many patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma fail to respond to the gold standard R-CHOP therapy. Identifying new molecules involved in this disease offers the opportunity to develop new biomarkers to identify high-risk patients and will help us understand the disease process and develop new treatments. Our study identifies FOXP1 and FOXP2 co-expression and that they are found in a complex within cells. We now believe that both family members have an important role in lymphoma and that we need to study them together to understand their roles. Importantly FOXP2 may also contribute to making lymphoma cells less susceptible to a patient's immune system.