Third Manuscript Published from the Burkitt Lymphoma Genome Sequencing Project
A third manuscript from the Burkitt Lymphoma Genome Sequencing Project entitled: DNA Methylation based Epitypes of Burkitt Lymphoma with Distinct Molecular and Clinical Features, was published on line in Blood Cancer Discovery on May 8, 2025.
Although the role of genetic drivers of Burkitt Lymphoma (BL) has been comprehensively explored, the role of epigenetics still remains unclear. Using samples from patients across four continents, sites were searched for consistent DNA methylation changes and associations with clinical and molecular features such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) status and driver mutations.
As noted in the abstract of this important publication, robust methylation patterns were identified that “were not fully explained by EBV status, implying the existence of robust epitypes: HypoBL and HyperBL. The latter had distinct genomic and clinical features including global hypermethylation, a higher mutation burden, elevated aberrant somatic hypermutation, and inferior outcomes. Methylation, gene expression and mutational differences between the epitypes support a model in which each arises from a distinct cell-of-origin. These findings suggest an approach for identifying BL patients with a greater risk of treatment failure and provide a basis for the exploration of new therapeutic strategies that target the unique molecular underpinnings of each group”. Specific details of these findings can be found in the manuscript posted on the website of the Foundation for Burkitt Lymphoma Research, www.foundationforburkittlymphoma.org.