Kenny Jackett's men were 3-0 up inside 35 minutes at the County Ground with a Bakary Sako brace sandwiching Nouha Dicko's fifth goal in three league matches.
Michael Smith brought some cheer for the home supporters in the 74th minute, but Leon Clarke would have the last say as he scored for the first time since returning to Wolves for his second spell in the January transfer window.
Russell Slade's Orient side triumphed 2-0 at Port Vale to remain two points off the summit, albeit having played two more games than Wolves and third-placed Brentford.
Brentford remain just one point adrift of the top two, as second-half goals from James Tarkowski and Clayton Donaldson ensured a 2-0 win over Tranmere Rovers at Griffin Park.
A quickfire double from Sam Baldock put the visitors in command, but a red card for Adam El-Abd in the 20th minute hindered Steve Cotterill's men.
Michael Bostwick then halved the deficit shortly before half-time, but Darren Ferguson's men were frustrated in their bid for an equaliser.
MK Dons are three points shy of sixth-placed Peterborough, as Karl Robinson's men secured a 3-1 success at bottom-of-the-league Notts County, with Dele Alli proving the hero for the visitors with a hat-trick.
Lowly Crewe Alexandra dented Walsall's top-six hopes by securing a 1-1 draw at the Bescot Stadium, while fellow strugglers Shrewsbury Town played out the same scoreline at home to Crawley Town.
Adebayo Akinfenwa notched both spot-kicks for the home side, while the visitors' task was made all the more difficult by Dan Seaborne's red card in the 24th minute.
