Enhanced expression of c-myc and H-ras oncogenes in Letterer-Siwe disease. A sequential study using colorimetric in situ hybridization.
Tissues from two patients with disseminated histiocytosis X (Letterer-Siwe disease) in which histiocytosis X cells exhibited histologic and cytologic features of malignancy were evaluated by in situ hybridization with the use of biotinylated nucleic acid probes to c-myc and H-ras oncogenes. Enhanced expression of these oncogenes was observed in mononucleated and multinucleated cells of histiocytosis X in the terminal proliferative phase but not in the early quiescent phase of Letterer-Siwe disease in both patients. Our findings indicate that deregulation of c-myc and H-ras in histiocytosis X are late events that likely confer a selective growth advantage to histiocytosis X cells.
Abdelatif
O M
OM
Department of Pathology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta 30912-0300.
Chandler
F W
FW
Pantazis
C G
CG
McGuire
B S
BS
D015342:DNA Probes; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D016259:Genes, myc / Q000235:genetics*; D011905:Genes, ras / Q000235:genetics*; D006646:Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes / Q000235:genetics*
D015342:DNA Probes