title: [Rearrangements of immunoglobulin and T-cell-antigen receptor genes as diagnostic markers in lymphatic neoplasms].
abstract: During recent years cloning of the genes encoding the immunoglobulin (Ig) and T-cell (TCR) antigen receptor has made it possible to analyze clonal expansions of B- or T-cells at the molecular level. We here describe the usefulness of the Ig- and TCR-gene rearrangements in selected cases of malignant lymphoma. In contrast to all other cases investigated, one non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) exhibited the infrequent phenomenon of oligoclonality, i.e. three distinct B-cell clones were discerned by Southern blot analysis. Detection of clonal TCR- and Ig-gene rearrangements unequivocally documented bone marrow involvement in four of eight NHL-patients, where conventional histologic and cytologic examination remained inconclusive. As expected, analysis of bone marrow DNA revealed clonal Ig-gene rearrangements in three cases with clear histologic evidence of bone marrow infiltrations by the NHL. In one case of a patient with acute mixed lymphoid-myeloid lineage leukemia a previously identified clonal Ig-gene rearrangement vanished after successful chemotherapy. Analysis of Ig- and TCR-gene rearrangements promises to be a very useful diagnostic tool in selected cases of lymphoid neoplasia.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D001402:B-Lymphocytes; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000235:genetics*; D007938:Leukemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic
vernacular_title: Rearrangements von Immunglobulin- und T-Zell-Antigenrezeptor-Genen als diagnostische Marker bei lymphatischen Neoplasien.