Research Article: The Dysregulated YY1-Bcl-2-c-Myc Axis in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: Validation by Bioinformatic Analyses

Overexpression of the transcription factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1) is frequently observed in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and is associated with the upregulation of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and the oncogene c-Myc, facilitating tumor progression. Current literature demonstrates these factors co-interact to facilitate aberrant signaling pathways promoting resistance mechanisms. This paper will briefly outline the role of the YY1-Bcl2-cMyc axis in NHL and further establish this axis through bioinformatics analysis of public data sets. Specifically, bioinformatic analyses revealed all three factors fostered a significant positive relationship with one another in DLBCL, as well as the coordinated upregulation of YY1, c-Myc, and Bcl-2 in tumor tissues. Furthermore, immune infiltration analyses on public data sets revealed that the expression of YY1, c-Myc, and Bcl-2 significantly associated with the presence and activity of various immune cells (i.e., B cells, CD8 + T cells, NK Cells, M2 macrophages) and non-immune cells (CLPs and HSCs) in the TME. We observed increased infiltration of M2 macrophages in both YY1 and Bcl-2-which can be a potential shared mechanism to promote an immunosuppressive environment. Data on mutation frequency and survival prognosis (i.e., Kaplan-Meier analysis) was also compiled between different NHL patient cohorts to provide context onto the implications of a dysregulated YY1-Bcl-2-c-Myc axis in NHL.