title: Frequent occurrence of BCL6 rearrangements in nodular lymphocyte predominance Hodgkin lymphoma but not in classical Hodgkin lymphoma.
abstract: We studied the genomic status of BCL6 in 23 cases of nodular lymphocyte predominance Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) and 40 cases of classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), using dual-color interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The BCL6 rearrangement was identified in 48% of NLPHL cases and was not detected in cHL cases. As a confirmation, sequential or simultaneous immunohistochemistry (IHC) and FISH using CD20 or BCL6 antibodies and BCL6 DNA probes was performed in 8 NLPHL cases. The BCL6-associated translocations, t(3;22)(q27;q11), t(3;7)(q27;p12), and the most probable t(3;9)(q27;p13), were identified in 3 cases. A consistent expression of BCL6 protein in popcorn cells with the highest number of intensely stained cells in cases with a genomic BCL6 rearrangement was shown by IHC. These findings support the hypothesis of a germinal center B cell-derived origin of NLPHL, indicate a significant role of BCL6 in the pathogenesis of NLPHL, and provide further evidence of the genetic diversity underlying the pathogenesis of NLPHL and cHL.
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Genetics, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wlodarska
authors.forename: Peet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nooyen
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.forename: José I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Martin-Subero
authors.forename: Reiner
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Siebert
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pauwels
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Wolf-Peeters
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hagemeijer
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000473:pathology; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D015994:Incidence; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D051560:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051560:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6; D014157:Transcription Factors