9;22 Translocation and bcr rearrangements in chronic myelocytic leukemia patients among atomic bomb survivors.

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Abstract
To elucidate the mechanism of leukemia induced by radiation, we studied both chromosome abnormalities and bcr rearrangements of seven CML patients with a history of atomic bomb exposure and 14 CML patients without the exposure. All patients, irrespective of radiation exposure, had 9;22 translocation and rearrangement of the bcr gene in the leukemic cells. Further analysis of breakpoints within the bcr gene demonstrated no distinct difference between the exposed and the non-exposed groups. The present study suggests that formation of the chimeric bcr-abl gene and its genetic products may play an important role in the development of leukemia in either radiation-induced or de novo CML.