The pattern and frequency of t(14;18) translocation and immunophenotype in Asian follicular lymphoma.
OBJECTIVE
Follicular lymphoma is frequently associated with t(14;18)(q32;q21) translocation. This study was undertaken to determine the pattern of Bcl-2, CD10 and Bcl-6 expression in relation to t(14;18) translocation in follicular lymphoma from a cohort of a multi-ethnic Asian population.


RESULTS
Sixty-two cases of follicular lymphoma were retrieved for immunohistochemistry, and t(14;18) translocation analysis by polymerase chain reaction and fluorescent in-situ hybridization techniques. Bcl-2 expression was present in 74% of the cases. CD10 expression was also relatively low (61%), with decreasing frequency of expression in high-grade tumours. Bcl-6 protein was expressed in most of the tumours (88%) regardless of the tumour grade. The t(14;18) translocation was detected in 46 cases (74%) with an extremely high rate of t(14;18) translocation in ethnic Indian cases (100%).


CONCLUSIONS
The frequency of t(14;18) translocation in this series of follicular lymphomas was higher when compared with previous Asian reports, but in accordance with European and North American findings. CD10 expression is strongly associated with a t(14;18) translocation event, but the overall CD10 expression was relatively low, possibly due to the high proportion of high-grade tumours in the series. t(14;18) translocation was not associated with Bcl-2 or Bcl-6 expression.
Peh
S C
SC
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. pehsc@um.edu.my
Shaminie
J
J
Tai
Y C
YC
Tan
J
J
Gan
S S
SS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001208:Asia; D002883:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015260:Neprilysin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051560:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051560:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6; D014157:Transcription Factors; D015260:Neprilysin