Bcl-2 rearrangement in patients with chronic hepatitis C associated with essential mixed cryoglobulinemia type II.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is found in 80% to 90% of patients with essential mixed cryoglobulinemia (EMC) type II, which is associated with monoclonal IgMk produced by monoclonal B cells. It was investigated whether bcl-2 rearrangement is associated with the clonal B-cell proliferation of EMC induced by hepatitis C. The study groups were composed of 15 patients with HCV and EMC, 12 patients with HCV without EMC, and 7 patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) unrelated to HCV. Fluorescence in situ hybridization with probes was applied to JH and to bcl-2 to study whether JH/bcl-2 translocation was present in these patients. Thirteen of 15 (86%) of patients with HCV-related EMC had the JH/bcl-2 translocation, a significantly higher rate than in HCV patients without EMC (16%; P < .001). Bcl-2 rearrangement was not detected in the patients with CLD not related to HCV. The JH/bcl-2 translocation may constitute a pathogenetic link for the development of NHL in patients with HCV infection. (Blood. 2000;96:2910-2912)
Kitay-Cohen
Y
Y
Department of Medicine, Meir Hospital, Kfar-Saba, Israel.
Amiel
A
A
Hilzenrat
N
N
Buskila
D
D
Ashur
Y
Y
Fejgin
M
M
Gaber
E
E
Safadi
R
R
Tur-Kaspa
R
R
Lishner
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D019254:Genes, bcl-2; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007144:Immunoglobulin J-Chains / Q000235:genetics; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000235:genetics*; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010266:Paraproteins / Q000032:analysis; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
D007144:Immunoglobulin J-Chains; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D010266:Paraproteins