T Cell Lymphomas

Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCL) are a complex and heterogeneous group of rare hematological malignancies originating from post-thymic lymphocytes. TCLs account for approximately 5%–15% of all lymphomas in Western countries, with an incidence of 0.5–2 per 100,000 people per year. The rarity of these neoplasms, the limited knowledge of their driver genetic lesions and molecular pathways involved and the lack of experimental models have impaired clinical successes making their treatment sub-optimal. Therefore, clarifying the mechanisms underlying these diseases is of utmost importance.

Investigation of the genomic role of HELLS in the development and progression of PTCLs 

Valentina Fragliasso PI (Principal Investigator), Giulia Gambarelli, Selene Mallia 
  

Aberrant activation of DNA helicases has been linked to tumor initiation and progression but mechanisms by which helicases influence gene expression are unknown. Recently, in our laboratory, we have identified the DNA-helicase HELLS - a member of the SWI/SNF2 family with an essential role in the development and survival of B and T lymphocytes - as a new genetic vulnerability of PTCLs. By integrating omics approaches with functional experiments, we aim to investigate the role of HELLS in influencing gene expression and supervising the genome stability of PTCLs.

LncRNA MTAAT: the shot caller in T-cell Lymphoma aggressiveness and immune evasion 

Valentina Fragliasso PI (Principal Investigator), Giulia Gambarelli, Selene Mallia
  

Long noncoding RNAs (LncRNAs) are emerging as potential targets in cancer immunotherapy and their inhibition is under consideration as a strategy to improve immunotherapeutic treatments. In this project, we aim to understand how lncRNA MTAAT- a new potential biomarker in PTCLs’ patient stratification- controls lymphoma immune evasion and influences the response to immunotherapy.