Expression profiling reveals coordinated dysregulation of autophagy‑associated proteins in marginal zone lymphoma and therapeutic implications

Dysregulated autophagy and its therapeutic targeting have emerged as focal points in oncology research; however, specific studies investigating autophagy in marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) pathogenesis remain limited. The present study comprehensively characterized the expression profiles of key autophagy-related proteins in MZL, providing novel mechanistic insights and an experimental rationale for therapeutic intervention. Immunohistochemical analysis assessed the expression of Beclin-1, light chain (LC)3, sequestosome (SQSTM)1/p62 and Bcl-2 in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues from 16 patients with MZL compared with 16 reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (RLH) controls. MZL specimens exhibited significant autophagy pathway dysregulation, characterized by ~35-40% decreased expression of Beclin-1 and LC3 and 30-45% increased expression of SQSTM1/p62 and Bcl-2 compared with RLH tissues (P<0.05 for all proteins analyzed). The present findings delineate a distinct profile of autophagy dysfunction in MZL, highlighting aberrant Beclin-1, LC3, SQSTM1/p62 and Bcl-2 expression as potential disease biomarkers and therapeutic targets. This study provides a critical basis for elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying MZL pathogenesis and underscores the therapeutic potential of modulating autophagy-related pathways.