Assessment  of BCL2/J(H) translocation in healthy individuals exposed to low-level radiation  of 137CsCl in Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
Healthy  radio-exposed individuals who received low levels of Cesium-137 radiation  during the accident that occurred in Goiânia in 1987, their families and  controls were tested for the detection of t(14;18)-rearranged B cells in  peripheral blood by using a highly sensitive, real-time quantitative PCR  method. The chromosomal translocation t(14;18)(q32;q21) is characteristic of  follicular lymphoma and is a frequent abnormality observed in other types of  non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This translocation leads to constitutive activation of  the BCL2 oncogene by the enhancers of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain  locus. In healthy individuals, the same translocation may also be found in a  small fraction of peripheral blood lymphocytes, and positive cells might serve  as an indicator for environmental exposure to carcinogens and possibly  correlate with the cumulative risk of developing t(14;18)- positive  non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Twenty healthy radio-exposed individuals, 10 relatives  and 10 non-exposed healthy individuals were tested for the detection of this translocation.  Only 1 non-exposed individual was positive for the chromosomal translocation,  and healthy radio-exposed individuals presented lower levels of cells bearing  the BCL2/J(H) rearrangement when compared to the levels of the patients with  follicular lymphoma before treatment. However, evaluation of more cells would  be required to confirm the total absence of circulating cells bearing BCL2/J(H)  rearrangement.
Programa de Mestrado em Genética, Departamento de Biologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas Replicon, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brasil.
H F
HF
Nunes
A B A
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Laranjeira
J A
JA
Yunes
E O A
EO
Costa
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CO
de A Melo
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D
de M e Silva
A D
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da Cruz
D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000528:radiation effects; D001938:Brazil; D002460:Cell Line; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002883:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14 / Q000528:radiation effects; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18 / Q000528:radiation effects; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D019254:Genes, bcl-2; D006801:Humans; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release; D014178:Translocation, Genetic / Q000528:radiation effects*
D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains