title: Immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangements in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: correlation with clinical stage.
abstract: A search for a correlation between the clinical stage of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and the pattern of immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangements was undertaken. DNA samples from the leukaemic cells of 38 CLL patients were analysed by Southern blot hybridization. Using probes for the immunoglobulin heavy chain J (JH) and C mu regions a marked heterogeneity of the hybridization patterns was observed in both regions. The number of JH hybridization bands varied from one to four and more than two were found in 58% of the patients. In 42% of the patients no germline JH genes were found. One to three additional C mu bands were observed in 34%, but the germline was preserved in all samples. There was no correlation between the clinical stage and the number of hybridizing JH bands; however, a significant correlation was found between the loss of JH germline band or a C mu multiband pattern and advanced stage of the disease. The genetic events in the immunoglobulin genes observed in advanced CLL patients are assumed to result from clonal evolution and tumour progression.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hematology, Chaim Sheba Medical Centre, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rechavi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mandel
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Katzir
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brok-Simoni
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hakim
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Holtzman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Biniaminov
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Givol
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ben-Bassat
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ramot
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D015322:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte; D006801:Humans; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains