SHORT REPORT

Efficacy of screening the intermediate cluster region of the bcl2 gene in follicular lymphomas by PCR

P J Batstone and J R Goodlad

Pathology Department, Highland Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Raigmore Hospital, Inverness IV2 3UJ, UK

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Mr P Batstone
Pathology Department, Highland Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Raigmore Hospital, Inverness IV2 3UJ, UK; paul.batstone{at}raigmore.scot.nhs.uk

Background: The t(14;18) translocation is a common finding in nodal follicular B cell lymphomas and diffuse large B cell lymphomas, and results in the overexpression of the antiapoptotic bcl2 protein. This chromosome rearrangement can be detected by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), with most breakpoints in the bcl2 gene occurring within either the major breakpoint region (mbr) or the minor cluster region (mcr). However, recent investigations have revealed several breakpoints between these two regions, which cluster 19 kb 3' of mbr in the "intermediate cluster region" (icr).

Aims/Methods: To analyse a series of 57 B cell follicular lymphomas known to carry the t(14;18) by PCR with primers directed against all three cluster regions to determine the efficacy of screening the icr site.

Results: Twenty six samples had an mbr rearrangement, four an mcr rearrangement, and three an icr rearrangement.

Conclusions: These results suggest that screening for icr is at least as efficacious as screening for mcr rearrangements.

Abbreviations: icr, intermediate cluster region; IgH, immunoglobulin heavy chain gene; JH, joining region; mbr, major breakpoint region; mcr, minor cluster region; PCR, polymerase chain reaction

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• Weinberg, O. K., Ai, W. Z., Mariappan, M. R., Shum, C., Levy, R., Arber, D. A. (2007). ''Minor'' BCL2 Breakpoints in Follicular Lymphoma: Frequency and Correlation with Grade and Disease Presentation in 236 Cases. J. Mol. Diagn. 9: 530-537 [Abstract] [Full Text]