Specificity of fusion genes in adipocytic tumors

In subsets of adipocytic tumors, specific chromosomal translocations lead to the generation of fusion genes. The high mobility group A2 (HMGA2)-lipoma preferred partner (LPP) and the reciprocal LPP-HMGA2 represent such fusion genes in lipoma, while the human translocation liposarcoma (TLS)-CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) homologous protein (CHOP) and the Ewing sarcoma (EWS)-CHOP in liposarcoma. However, the specificity of these fusion genes has not been established in a variety of adipocytic tumors.

One hundred and seventy-two cases of adipocytic tumors, comprising 98 cases of lipoma and 74 cases of liposarcoma, were analyzed for the possible expression of HMGA2-LPP, LPP-HMGA2, TLS-CHOP and EWS-CHOP fusion genes, using a reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction method.

In lipoma, twenty-two cases (22.4%) were associated with either HMGA2-LPP or LPP-HMGA2, while neither TLS-CHOP nor EWS-CHOP transcript was detectable. On the contrary, in liposarcoma, neither HMGA2-LPP nor LPP-HMGA2 transcript was detectable, although twenty-five cases (33.8%) were related to either TLS-CHOP or EWS-CHOP.

HMGA2-LPP and LPP-HMGA2 were specific to lipoma, and TLS-CHOP and EWS-CHOP were specific to liposarcoma.