¹Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Street, Boston, MA 02215, USA

Correspondence: TD Gilmore, E-mail: gilmore@bu.edu

Received 6 November 2003; Revised 30 November 2003; Accepted 1 December 2003; Published online 2 February 2004.

Abstract

Activation of the Rel/NF-B signal transduction pathway has been associated with a variety of animal and human malignancies. However, among the Rel/NF-B family members, only c-Rel has been consistently shown to be able to malignantly transform cells in culture. In addition, c-rel has been activated by a retroviral promoter insertion in an avian B-cell lymphoma, and amplifications of REL (human c-rel) are frequently seen in Hodgkin's lymphomas and diffuse large B-cell lymphomas, and in some follicular and mediastinal B-cell lymphomas. Phenotypic analysis of c-rel knockout mice demonstrates that c-Rel has a normal role in B-cell proliferation and survival; moreover, c-Rel nuclear activity is required for B-cell development. Few mammalian model systems are available to study the role of c-Rel in oncogenesis, and it is still not clear what features of c-Rel endow it with its unique oncogenic activity among the Rel/NF-B family. In any event, REL may provide an appropriate therapeutic target for certain human lymphoid cell malignancies.