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Review
. 2018 Dec 4;11(1):134.
doi: 10.1186/s13045-018-0678-1.

Advances in multiple omics of natural-killer/T cell lymphoma

Jie Xiong  1 , Wei-Li Zhao  2   3
Affiliations
Review

Advances in multiple omics of natural-killer/T cell lymphoma

Jie Xiong et al. J Hematol Oncol. .

Abstract

Natural-killer/T cell lymphoma (NKTCL) represents the most common subtype of extranodal lymphoma with aggressive clinical behavior. Prevalent in Asians and South Americans, the pathogenesis of NKTCL remains to be fully elucidated. Using system biology techniques including genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, and metabolomics, novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets have been revealed in NKTCL. Whole-exome sequencing studies identify recurrent somatic gene mutations, involving RNA helicases, tumor suppressors, JAK-STAT pathway molecules, and epigenetic modifiers. Another genome-wide association study reports that single nucleotide polymorphisms mapping to the class II MHC region on chromosome 6 contribute to lymphomagenesis. Alterations of oncogenic signaling pathways janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), WNT, and NOTCH, as well as epigenetic dysregulation of microRNA and long non-coding RNAs, are also frequently observed in NKTCL. As for metabolomic profiling, abnormal amino acids metabolism plays an important role on disease progression of NKTCL. Of note, through targeting multiple omics aberrations, clinical outcome of NKTCL patients has been significantly improved by asparaginase-based regimens, immune checkpoints inhibitors, and histone deacetylation inhibitors. Future investigations will be emphasized on molecular classification of NKTCL using integrated analysis of system biology, so as to optimize targeted therapeutic strategies of NKTCL in the era of precision medicine.

Keywords: Epigenomics; Genomics; Metabolomics; Natural-killer/T cell lymphomas; Targeted therapy; Transcriptomics.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Milestones of multiple omics studies on NKTCL. This timeline describes key discoveries of genomic (whole-exome sequencing, genome-wide association study, and comparative genomic hybridization), transcriptomic (gene expression profile), epigenomic (miRNA expression profile and global promoter methylation analysis), and metabolomics (LC/MS-based metabolomics profile) studies in NKTCL
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Schematic description of NKTCL pathogenesis and targeted therapeutic strategies. This illustration encompasses six hallmark mechanisms involved in NKTCL pathogenesis, which are closely related to targeted therapeutic strategies
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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