Chromosomal alterations detected by comparative genomic hybridization in subgroups of gene expression-defined Burkitt's lymphoma.
BACKGROUND
Burkitt's lymphoma is an aggressive B-cell lymphoma characterized by typical morphological, immunophenotypic and molecular features. Gene expression profiling provided a molecular signature of Burkitt's lymphoma, but also demonstrated that a subset of aggressive B-cell lymphomas not fulfilling the current World Health Organization criteria for the diagnosis of Burkitt's lymphoma nonetheless show a molecular signature of Burkitt's lymphoma ('discrepant Burkitt's lymphoma'). Given the different treatment of Burkitt's lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphomas we investigated molecular differences within gene expression-defined Burkitt's lymphoma.


METHODS
We studied tumors from 51 Burkitt's lymphoma patients, comprising 26 with classic Burkitt's lymphoma, 17 with atypical Burkitt's lymphoma and 8 with 'discrepant Burkitt's lymphoma', by comparative genomic hybridization and gene expression profiling.


RESULTS
Classic and atypical Burkitt's lymphoma (excluding 'discrepant Burkitt's lymphoma'), in adult and pediatric cases do not differ in underlying genomic imbalances or gene expression suggesting that these subgroups are molecularly homogeneous. 'Discrepant Burkitt's lymphoma', however, differ dramatically in the absolute number of alterations from classic/atypical Burkitt's lymphoma and from diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Moreover, this category includes lymphomas that carry both the t(14;18) and t(8;14) translocations and are clinically characterized by presentation in adult patients and an aggressive course.


CONCLUSIONS
Pediatric and adult Burkitt's lymphoma are molecularly homogeneous, whereas 'discrepant Burkitt's lymphoma' differ in underlying genetic and clinical features from typical/atypical Burkitt's lymphoma. 'Discrepant Burkitt's lymphoma' may therefore form a distinct genetic subgroup of aggressive B-cell lymphomas, which show poor response to multi-agent chemotherapy.
Salaverria
Itziar
I
Institute of Pathology, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2 97080 Würzburg, Germany.
Zettl
Andreas
A
Beà
Silvia
S
Hartmann
Elena M
EM
Dave
Sandeep S
SS
Wright
George W
GW
Boerma
Evert-Jan
EJ
Kluin
Philip M
PM
Ott
German
G
Chan
Wing C
WC
Weisenburger
Dennis D
DD
Lopez-Guillermo
Armando
A
Gascoyne
Randy D
RD
Delabie
Jan
J
Rimsza
Lisa M
LM
Braziel
Rita M
RM
Jaffe
Elaine S
ES
Staudt
Louis M
LM
Müller-Hermelink
Hans Konrad
HK
Campo
Elias
E
Rosenwald
Andreas
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002051:Burkitt Lymphoma / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002877:Chromosomes, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D055028:Comparative Genomic Hybridization; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged