title: Expression of human recombination activating genes (RAG-1 and RAG-2) in lymphoma.
abstract: Two recently discovered genes, the recombination activating genes 1 and 2 (RAG-1 and RAG-2), are necessary to perform variable (V), diversity (D), and joining (J) recombination. They synergistically activate VDJ recombination to generate immunocompetent lymphocytes. Disruption of either gene results in a maturation arrest at a very early B and T cell progenitor stage. Expression and downregulation of RAG's are closely associated with interleukin 7, sIgM and TCR-CD3 complex, respectively. Assessment of RAG mRNA expression is a valuable marker in identifying the genotypic maturation status of leukemias and lymphomas. Persistent RAG expression in otherwise mature lymphoid proliferations may explain puzzling biological and clinical observations such as multiple rearrangements in lymphomas with a mature phenotype. Lack of RAG expression in Hodgkin's disease with abundant Reed-Sternberg cells is consistent with a mature phenotype of the latter. Availability of a anti-RAG-1 monoclonal antibody in the near future will facilitate RAG analysis of lymphomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, CHUV University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Knecht
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brousset
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bachmann
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pallesen
authors.forename: B F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Odermatt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D015870:Gene Expression; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D007938:Leukemia / Q000235:genetics; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D011506:Proteins; C499308:Rag2 protein, mouse; C064655:V(D)J recombination activating protein 2; C064658:RAG-1 protein