Low frequency of BCL-2/J(H) translocation in peripheral blood lymphocytes of healthy Japanese individuals.
The incidence of follicular lymphoma differs significantly between white and Japanese individuals. Translocation between the BCL-2 and immunoglobulin heavy chain genes is detected in 85% to 90% of all follicular lymphomas in whites. Recently, BCL-2/J(H) translocation was detected in peripheral blood lymphocytes from more than 50% of healthy white individuals. To clarify the reason for the difference in incidence of follicular lymphoma between whites and Japanese, the frequency of BCL-2/J(H) translocation in peripheral blood lymphocytes of healthy Japanese individuals was compared with that of German individuals. The prevalence of BCL-2/J(H) translocation in Japanese adults appeared to be significantly lower than that in German adults. The present data suggest that the low frequency of BCL-2/J(H) translocation in the Japanese general population may be one of the major reasons for the difference in incidence of follicular lymphoma between whites and Japanese.
Yasukawa
M
M
First Department of Internal Medicine, and Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Ehime University School of Medicine, Ehime, Japan. yasukawa@m.ehime-u.ac.jp
Bando
S
S
Dölken
G
G
Sada
E
E
Yakushijin
Y
Y
Fujita
S
S
Makino
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044383:Black People; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002883:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D007564:Japan; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D014178:Translocation, Genetic; D044465:White People
D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D004247:DNA