High-resolution genome-wide array comparative genomic hybridization in splenic marginal zone B-cell lymphoma

Splenic marginal zone B-cell lymphoma is characterized by high genetic heterogeneity, and hepatitis C virus infection seems to be involved in a subset of patients. The aims of the analysis were to identify potential genetic alterations related to hepatitis C virus status, IgV(H) gene mutational status, and prognostic categories identified in a multicenter study (Blood 2006;107:4643). Genome-wide array comparative genomic hybridization at a 100-kilobase (kb) resolution was performed in 34 patients with splenic marginal zone B-cell lymphoma, 12 of whom were hepatitis C virus positive. Array-comparative genomic hybridization experiments revealed no copy number alterations in 10 patients (4 were hepatitis C virus positive). A median of 5.6 and 3.8 copy number alterations were detected in hepatitis C virus-positive and in hepatitis C virus-negative patients, respectively. The most frequent copy number alterations involved chromosomes 7 and 17 (21% and 24%, respectively). Except for Xp gain (P = .01), no differences in common alterations were found between hepatitis C virus-positive and hepatitis C virus-negative cases. Unmutated status of the IgV(H) gene was related to del(7q) (P = .04) and dup(12q) (P = .03). The high-risk group identified according to the new splenic marginal zone B-cell lymphoma prognostic score was associated with del(7q) (P = .01) and del(17p) (P = .02). Hepatitis C virus-positive splenic marginal zone B-cell lymphoma patients have no specific chromosome alterations. Patients with poor prognosis are characterized by distinctive imbalances.