Analysis of the expression of the hybrid gene bcl-2/IgH in follicular
lymphomas
P Soubeyran, F Cabanillas and MS Lee
Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer
Center, Houston.
To investigate the clinical and biologic significance of the circulating
t(14;18)-carrying cells in follicular lymphoma (FL) patients, we analyzed
the mbr/JH junction of the hybrid bcl-2/IgH gene simultaneously at the DNA
and RNA levels by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 37 peripheral blood
samples from 37 patients in different remission status: 4 before treatment,
8 during treatment, and 25 in complete remission (CR). Of these 37
patients, 22 were positive either at the DNA or RNA level (8 with active
disease and 14 in CR). Among these positive patients, RNA was more often
negative for patients in CR (9 of 14 [64%]) than for patients with active
disease (2 of 8 [25%]; Fisher's exact test, P = .09). Among the 14 patients
in CR with residual disease, 2 of 5 with RNA positivity relapsed, whereas 1
of 9 with RNA negativity and DNA positivity relapsed with a median
follow-up after sample collection of 8 months (range, 4 to 18 months).
Simultaneous analysis of the bcl-2/IgH gene at the DNA and RNA level showed
heterogeneous patterns of PCR positivity in regards to the evaluation of
the biologic activity of the t(14;18)-carrying cells. A larger study and
long-term follow-up will help in determining whether the expression
patterns in turn reflect the functional status of disease activity in FL
patients.
Volume 81,
Issue 1,
pp. 122-127,
01/01/1993
Copyright © 1993 by The American Society of Hematology
