BCL2 gene activation and protein expression in follicular lymphoma: a report on 64 cases.
Rearrangements of the BCL2 gene and expression of bcl-2 protein were analyzed in a series of 64 cases of follicular lymphomas in order to establish a relationship between the rearrangements and the protein overexpression. Of the 64 cases, 41 showed BCL2 rearrangement involving one of the three breakpoint clusters: 30 in mbr, eight in mcr, and three in vcr. A double rearrangement mbr+vcr was detected in two cases. Twenty cases with bcl-2 protein expression in tumor cells exhibited no apparent rearrangement, suggesting the possible existence of other mechanisms activating the gene. Interestingly, expression of the LMP1 protein, the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) encoded gene, whose capacity to induce BCL2 has been recently demonstrated, was only found in 2/41 cases in which BCL2 was rearranged. These data suggest that EBV infection is not an important mechanism in the activation of BCL2 in follicular lymphoma.
Unité 301-INSERM, Institut de Génétique Moléculaire, Paris, France.
P
P
Séité
J
J
Hillion
M F
MF
d'Agay
P
P
Gaulard
D
D
Cazals
F
F
Badoux
R
R
Berger
C J
CJ
Larsen
D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000502:physiology; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology*; D015321:Gene Rearrangement / Q000502:physiology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014178:Translocation, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000502:physiology
D000956:Antigens, Viral; C037662:EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins