title: Application of polymerase chain reaction to detect rearrangement of immunoglobulin heavy chain genes in lymphoproliferative disease.
abstract: As part of our routine work-up in the diagnosis of lymphoproliferative disease, we used a rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay to amplify the DNA fragments of the framework 3 (FR3) region of the immunoglobulin heavy (IgH) chain genes. The assay does not involve hybridization, nested priming, or sequencing of the amplified PCR product. It was performed on 66 specimens of B-cell lymphoproliferative disease, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, multiple myeloma, hairy cell leukemia and follicular lymphoma. Twenty-six specimens of negative controls, including acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia in myeloid transformation and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, were also analyzed. The assay was performed with 77% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The standard IgH chain gene rearrangement by Southern blot analysis is reserved for the remaining negative cases if clinically indicated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Khalil
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Siegrist
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akhtar