Rearrangement of T-cell receptor and immunoglobulin heavy chain genes in leukemia and lymphoma.
The development of polymerase chain reaction /PCR/ has greatly facilitated the detailed characterization of T-cell receptor /TcR/ and immunoglobulin heavy chain /IgH/ gene rearrangements. The antigen-receptor genes in lymphoid cells undergo rearrangements by combination of variable /V/, diversity /D/ and joining /J/ gene segments, deletion of germline nucleotides and insertion of nontemplate-derived nucleotides /"N-regions"/. In this preliminary study we analysed 12 DNA samples from patients with lymphoproliferative disorders /LPD/ and with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemias /ANLL/. PCR analyses were performed using V and J consensus primers for conserved regions of TcRg and IgH genes. PCR products were evaluated by polyacrilamide gel electrophoresis and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Applying this method, we have detected 3 TcRg and 4 IgH monoclonal rearrangements in all 12 LPD samples. One ANLL sample showed monoclonal rearrangement for TcRg. Because of the clonal rearrangements, the analysis of TcR and IgH gene configuration can be used to track the persistence of malignant cells which are determined at diagnosis. The positive results from ANLL samples will be further evaluated as prognostic criteria.
Markova
V
V
Department of Clinical Laboratory, Higher Medical Institute, Plovdiv, Bulgaria. vmark@hms-plovdiv.acad.bg
Keremedjieva
T
T
Grudeva-Popova
J
J
Tzvetkova
T
T
D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D015326:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Heavy Chain; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D017931:DNA Primers