Monoclonal lymphocyte proliferation and bcl-2 rearrangement in essential mixed cryoglobulinaemia.
A patient with essential mixed cryoglobulinaemia (EMC) type II and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, in whom immunophenotypic and genotypic studies demonstrated a clonal proliferation of B lymphocytes, is described. Fluorescent in situ hybridization with probes to Ig heavy chain gene and to the oncogene bcl-2 demonstrated a translocation of bcl-2 to the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus on chromosome 14. A sharp rise in the level of the monoclonal IgM was associated with a second genetic aberration [t(8:22) (q24:q11)]. No other clinical evidence of disease progression could be demonstrated. Low grade lymphoproliferative disorder with typical cytogenetic abnormalities developed on the background of EMC and HCV. Clinical progression was associated with a second genetic abnormality involving the myc oncogene. It is possible that HCV chronic infection may indirectly influence oncogenes associated with lymphoma.
Ellis
M
M
Department of Hematology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
Rathaus
M
M
Amiel
A
A
Manor
Y
Y
Klein
A
A
Lishner
M
M
D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002455:Cell Division; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes / Q000235:genetics*; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2