title: Transcripts of the npm-alk fusion gene in anaplastic large cell lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, and reactive lymphoid lesions.
abstract: Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) and Hodgkin's disease (HD) have some pathologic and immunohistochemical similarities, and a histogenetic relationship between them has been suggested by some investigators. By cytogenetic study, the t(2;5)(p23;q35) translocation appears to be unique for ALCL. The breakpoints of the t(2;5)(p23;q35) have recently been cloned and are reported to involve a novel tyrosine kinase gene, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (alk), on chromosome 2 and the nucleophosmin gene (npm) on chromosome 5. Therefore, we studied the frequency of npm-alk translocation in ALCL using a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay. We also studied HD and a variety of reactive lymphoid lesions since there is contradictory information in the literature on the occurrence of the npm-alk rearrangement in HD. We detected npm-alk hybrid mRNA in 8 of 22 cases of ALCL (36%), but none of the 21 cases of HD or the 11 cases with reactive lesions contained amplifiable template. All positive ALCL had the T or indeterminate phenotype and occurred in young adults or children. There was very good correlation between a cytogenetically detectable t(2;5) and a positive signal by RT-PCR. Our results indicate a selective but relatively infrequent association between the t(2;5) and ALCL of T or indeterminate phenotype, not shared with HD or reactive hyperplasia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Cytology, Karolinska Institute and Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Elmberger
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Lozano
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Weisenburger
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sanger
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D001483:Base Sequence; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002889:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 2 / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002895:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 5 / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D017728:Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D000090243:Nucleophosmin; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
chemical_list: C000716967:NPM1 protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D000090243:Nucleophosmin; C000626173:ALK protein, human; D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases