E2F Accelerates the Proliferation of B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas by Upregulating Cell-Cycle Genes.

[OBJECTIVE] The high toxicity of current therapies and frequent relapse in mature B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (B-NHLs) reveal a substantial unmet clinical need for more effective targeted treatment strategies. To address this gap, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) of B-NHL datasets was conducted, uncovering marked enrichment of E2F transcription factors and their target genes. Despite the central role of E2F signaling in cell cycle control and oncogenesis, its contribution to pediatric B-NHLs has not been systematically characterized. Accordingly, we performed a comprehensive analysis of E2F signaling and its downstream targets to identify potential therapeutic and prognostic biomarkers in pediatric B-NHLs.

[METHODS] The datasets used for this analysis were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and mRNA and protein expression levels were further validated via data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), and the Human Protein Atlas (HPA). Key bioinformatics findings were validated via quantitative PCR (qPCR) and cell proliferation assays. Survival analysis was conducted to evaluate the associations between gene expression levels and the prognosis of B-NHL patients. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and GSEA were employed to predict gene functions and associated pathways.

[RESULTS] Childhood B-NHLs were markedly enriched for E2F gene set. The identified overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were linked to cell cycle regulation, DNA replication, and proliferative activity. E2F1 and hub genes such as POLD1, LIG1, MCM3, MCM6, and PCNA were markedly overexpressed in B-cell lymphoma. These genes demonstrated strong discriminatory potential as disease-associated signaling molecules. Moreover, the expression of POLD1 was closely associated with the proliferative capacity of B-NHLs.

[CONCLUSION] E2Fs and their downstream target genes are significantly overexpressed in pediatric B-NHLs, driving tumor cell proliferation. These molecules may serve as biomarkers for therapeutic stratification, prognosis, and disease monitoring in pediatric B-NHLs.