Heterogeneity of immunoglobulin gene rearrangements in B-cell lymphomas.
We have examined 69 B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) for rearrangements of the immunoglobulin (Ig) or T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) genes. The lymphomas were assigned to the categories of the Kiel classification and their B-cell nature was confirmed by immunostaining. Only 2 cases (with CLL) displayed clonal T beta-chain TCR gene rearrangements together with rearranged heavy- and light-chain Ig genes. The remaining 67 lymphomas had a germline beta-chain TCR-gene configuration. Three different patterns of Ig gene rearrangements were identified; (A) presence of both heavy- and light-chain rearrangements (H+L+); (B) rearrangement of heavy-chain gene only (H+L-); (C) heavy- and light-chain genes in germline configuration (H-L-). All the 45 low-grade NHLs and the 4 immunoblastic lymphomas exhibited pattern A and all had their kappa gene rearranged or deleted. Of 24 low-grade lymphomas tested, 13 (54%) had an addition rearrangement of the lambda light-chain gene. In contrast, the 19 high-grade centroblastic (cb) B-NHLs had distinct patterns of Ig-gene rearrangement: 12 with pattern A, 4 with B and 2 with C. In this group only 2 of 17 (12%) cases analyzed had evidence of lambda light-chain rearrangement whereas 12 of 18 (67%) had a kappa gene rearrangement or deletion. In one case expressing sIgM/lambda and with heavy chain Ig-rearrangement, no DNA was available for Ig light-chain analysis.
Kneba
M
M
Department of Hematology/Oncology, Georg-August University, Göttingen, FRG.
Bergholz
M
M
Bolz
I
I
Hulpke
M
M
Bätge
R
R
Schauer
A
A
Krieger
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D015333:Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D011379:Prognosis