Serial cytogenetic studies of nonendemic Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines

Cytogenetic study of nonendemic Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) cell lines showed a translocation of chromosomes #8 and #14, t(8;14), present in 16 of the 18 lines examined. Serial cytogenetic studies of nine of these lines showed the t(8;14) to be stable and present in all cells examined. Although many other chromosome aberrations were present, they did not demonstrate the stability or the pervasiveness of the t(8;14). The significance of these results and previously reported cytogenetic studies on the etiology of BL was discussed.