Analysis of Immunoglobulin, T Cell Receptor and bcr Rearrangements in Human Malignant Lymphoma and Hodgkin’s Disease

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Abstract
Rearrangements of immunoglobulin and T cell receptor (TCR) genes have been demonstrated in malignant lymphoid tumors of B and T cell origin. In Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia and acute lymphocytic leukemia cells the bcr and c-abl genes are reorganized and transcripts composed of both genes are expressed. We analyzed the organization of bcr, immunoglobulin and TCR genes in malignant lymphomas. Our data show that in all B cell lymphomas analyzed the JH genes and in some cases also the Jκ genes were rearranged. In a Burkitt lymphoma and in a Kil lymphoma distinct rearranged TCRγ fragments were detected, in a second Burkitt lymphoma two rearranged TCRβ gene fragments occurred together with a rearranged JH gene fragment. In two T cell lymphomas rearranged TCRβ genes were observed; one of these lymphomas also carried rearranged TCRγ and JH genes. In Hodgkin’s disease in 3 out of 7 cases rearranged immunoglobulin genes were detected. In 1 case, which was diagnosed as a follicular hyperplasia, rearranged JH and TCRγ fragments appeared. In none of the analyzed lymphomas could bcr rearrangements be observed.