Chromosomal translocations and leukaemia: a role for LMO2 in T cell acute leukaemia, in transcription and in erythropoiesis

The LMO2 gene associated with T cell acute leukaemia has been used as an example of a gene activated by association with the T cell receptor genes after chromosomal translocations. The gene is shown to encode a LIM protein which is involved in protein interactions and during normal haematopoiesis is necessary for erythroid development. LMO2 has been shown to cause tumours when aberrantly expressed and to be able to heterodimerise with TAL1 to facilitate tumour development.