A Northwestern Medicine study has uncovered new insights that may aid in understanding and potentially treating one of the most common and aggressive forms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, according to findings published in Science Advances.

The study described critical differences in B-cell receptor (BCR) types that may influence the progression and treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and other forms of B-cell leukemia and lymphomas, which affect more than 80,000 Americans each year.

“B-cells, which are responsible for producing antibodies, rely on BCRs for survival and growth. While most research has focused on the IgM variant of BCRs, this study sheds light on the lesser-understood IgG1 variant,” said Vipul Shukla, Ph.D., assistant professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, who was co-senior author of the study.