Molecular analysis of a variant 18;22 translocation in a case of lymphocytic lymphoma

We previously reported a 5' rearrangement of the BCL2 locus in a t(18;22) variant translocation found in a lymphocytic lymphoma. Primary structure analysis of both rearranged chromosomes confirmed the localization of the breakpoint in the so-called vcr region (for variant cluster region) that encompasses Z-DNA stretches 5' of the BCL2 locus, and in between J lambda 1 and C lambda 1 segments on the IGL locus. A 1,027 nucleotide segment from chromosome 22 was repeated on both derivative chromosomes 18q+ and 22q-. This segment contained an octanucleotide that was also present in the normal chromosome 18 close to the breakpoint. As a consequence of the translocation, a normal-sized BCL2 transcript was overexpressed in tumor cells.