The proto-oncogene c-Rel is a protein

Protein

Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...

 that in humans is encoded by the REL gene

Gene

A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...

. The c-Rel protein is a member of the NF-κB family of transcription factor

Transcription factor

In molecular biology and genetics, a transcription factor is a protein that binds to specific DNA sequences, thereby controlling the flow of genetic information from DNA to mRNA...

s and contains a Rel homology domain (RHD

Rel homology domain

The Rel homology domain is a protein domain found in a family of eukaryotic transcription factors, which includes NF-κB, NFAT, among others. Some of these transcription factors appear to form multi-protein DNA-bound complexes...

) at its N-terminus and two C-terminal transactivation domains. c-Rel has an important role in B-cell

B cell

B cells are lymphocytes that play a large role in the humoral immune response . The principal functions of B cells are to make antibodies against antigens, perform the role of antigen-presenting cells and eventually develop into memory B cells after activation by antigen interaction...

 survival and proliferation. The REL gene is amplified or mutated in several human B-cell lymphoma

B-cell lymphoma

The B-cell lymphomas are types of lymphoma affecting B cells. Lymphomas are "blood cancers" in the lymph glands. They develop more frequently in older adults and in immunocompromised individuals ....

s, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and Hodgkin's lymphoma

Hodgkin's lymphoma

Hodgkin's lymphoma, previously known as Hodgkin's disease, is a type of lymphoma, which is a cancer originating from white blood cells called lymphocytes...

.