title: Detection of normal and chimeric nucleophosmin in human cells.
abstract: In anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL), the (2;5) chromosomal translocation creates a fusion gene encoding the 80-kD NPM-ALK hybrid protein. This report describes three new monoclonal antibodies, two of which recognize, by Western blotting, the N-terminal portion of NPM present in the NPM-ALK fusion protein and also in two other NPM fusion proteins (NPM-RARalpha and NPM-MLF1). The third antibody recognizes the C-terminal portion (deleted in NPM-ALK) and reacts only with wild-type NPM. The three antibodies immunostain wild-type NPM (in paraffin-embedded normal tissue samples) in cell nuclei and in the cytoplasm of mitotic cells. Cerebral neurones, exceptionally, show diffuse cytoplasmic labeling. In contrast to normal tissues, the two antibodies against the N-terminal portion of NPM labeled the cytoplasm of neoplastic cells, in four ALK-positive ALCL, reflecting their reactivity with NPM-ALK fusion protein, whereas the antibody to the C-terminal NPM epitope labeled only cell nuclei. Immunocytochemical labeling with these antibodies can therefore confirm that an ALK-positive lymphoma expresses NPM-ALK (rather than a variant ALK-fusion protein) and may also provide evidence for chromosomal anomalies involving the NPM gene other than the classical (2;5) translocation.
authors.affiliation: Leukaemia Research Fund Immunodiagnostics Unit, Nuffield Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Cellular Science, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Cordell
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Pulford
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bigerna
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Roncador
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Banham
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Pelicci
authors.forename: D Y
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Falini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry; D002889:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 2; D002895:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 5; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics*; D000090243:Nucleophosmin; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000032:analysis; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; C000716967:NPM1 protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D000090243:Nucleophosmin