title: Rearrangement of immunoglobulin and T cell receptor genes in acute and chronic leukaemias.
abstract: The pattern of immunoglobulin (Ig) and T cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangements was determined in 87 patients with acute and chronic leukaemias and myelodysplastic syndromes by Southern blot hybridisation. All 31 cases of common, B cell and null cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, and B cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia showed Ig heavy chain (JH) rearrangement, and TCR (beta-chain) rearrangement was seen in all 5 cases of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Inappropriate JH and TCR (beta) rearrangements were present in some cases of T-ALL (60%) and common acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (18%), respectively. For the 19 patients with acute leukaemias following chronic myeloid leukaemia, blastic transformation, all 4 with lymphoid transformation and 3 of the 15 with myeloid transformation had JH rearrangement, and 3 CD10-positive lymphoid transformation and 2 myeloid transformation had their TCR (beta) genes rearranged. In conclusion, the pattern of Ig and TCR gene rearrangements correlated well with the cell lineage. However, cross-lineage rearrangements were more commonly seen in patients with acute leukaemias following chronic myeloid leukaemia blastic transformation, as compared to the de novo cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Todd
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001752:Blast Crisis; D005260:Female; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte; D015333:Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D006801:Humans; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics; D007938:Leukemia / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains