In silico study
of dynamic expression profile of mRNA Export Factors promoting progression of Diffuse
large B-cell lymphoma
Sahni Deepak, Pandey Alok, Sharma Chandresh and Bharati Akhilendra Pratap
Res. J. Biotech.; Vol. 21(1); 69-79;
doi: https://doi.org/10.25303/211rjbt069079; (2026)
Abstract
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBC) is the most common blood cancer in India, comprising
of 30-40% of all lymphomas. It is a subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), with
approximately 75% recurrence cases. Current treatments involve chemotherapeutics
such as Rituximab, Cyclophosphamide and Doxorubicin. However, frequent relapse highlights
the need for alternative therapeutic strategies. mRNA export factors (MEFs) play
critical roles in mRNA transport from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, facilitating
translation in eukaryotes. While MEFs have been studied individually in cancers,
the broader link between MEFs and neoplasia remains underexplored. Our results indicate
that the MEF genes (THOCs, DDX19B, RAE1) exhibited significant expression differences
in DLBC compared to normal tissues. We also found the positive correlation of most
of the MEFs with that of mentioned markers associated with DLBC.
In addition, hyper-methylation of the THOC5 promoter (beta value >2.5) was observed
in p53-mutant cases while THOC2 promoter hypermethylation (beta >0.3) was more frequent
in females. Age-related methylation changes were noted for THOC7. Finally, we observed
that the higher expression of MEFs (THOC2 and DDX19B) was linked to poor survival
in Asian populations as compared to the White population. These findings highlight
the role of MEFs as potential prognostic markers and could be used for assessment
of DLBC progression, offering promising avenues for improving DLBC management.
