title: No BCL-2 protein over expression but BCL-2/IgH rearrangements in B cells of patients with persistent polyclonal B-cell lymphocytosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Persistent polyclonal B-cell lymphocytosis is a rare hematological disorder, characterized by a chronic, stable and absolute polyclonal lymphocytosis, the presence of binucleated lymphocytes, a polyclonal increase in serum IgM immunoglobulin and clonal cytogenetic abnormalities involving chromosome 3. For explaining the expansion of B-lymphocytes pool in PPBL, an association with cigarette smoking and/or chronic Epstein-Barr virus infection have been suggested but both hypotheses have been ruled out.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied the presence of BCL-2/IgH rearrangements in a series of eight PPBL patients (seven females and one male) by a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), targeting the Major Breakpoint Region in BCL-2 locus and we explored the BCL-2 protein expression by Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We demonstrated: (a) the constant presence of BCL-2/IgH rearrangements in eight out of eight DNA samples, (b) multiple rearrangements in three out of eight cases and, (c) normal BCL-2 protein expression, as compared to BCL-2 level in B-lymphocytes from healthy population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the presence of BCL-2/IgH rearrangements, the accumulation of B lymphocytes in PPBL is not related to an overexpression of BCL-2 protein.
authors.affiliation: UPRES-EA 2128, UFR de Médecine, CHU Côte de Nacre, Caen, France.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lancry
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roulland
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Roué
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mossafa
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Salaün
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chèze
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gauduchon
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hardouin
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sola
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Troussard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D005260:Female; D015322:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics*; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008218:Lymphocytosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2