Repression of NOTCH2 is an essential function of BCL6 in FL and GC B cells because inducible expression of <i>Notch2</i> abrogated GC formation in mice and killed FL cells.
The recent surge in next generation sequencing (NGS) technology has shed more light on the genetic landscape of SBCLs through characterization of numerous driver mutations including SF3B1 and NOTCH1 in CLL, ATM and CCND1 in MCL, KMT2D and EPHA7 in FL, MYD88 (L265P) in LPL, KLF2 and NOTCH2 in splenic MZL (SMZL) and BRAF (V600E) in HCL.
Gain-of-function mutations of NOTCH1 or NOTCH2 have recently been reported in several B cell lymphoid neoplasms but the role of these mutations in FL is not known.
NOTCH2 mutations were not present in other B cell lymphomas and leukemias, such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL; n = 15), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL; n = 15), low-grade follicular lymphoma (FL; n = 44), hairy cell leukemia (HCL; n = 15), and reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (n = 14).