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Published on: November 8, 2011
Oligoclonal B-cell leukemia characterized by spontaneous cell division and telomere association
P E Crossen1, S M Tully, S M Benjes
1Cytogenetic and Molecular Oncology Unit, Christchurch Hospital, New Zealand.
Abstract:
Cytogenetic analysis of unstimulated cultures from a female patient with chronic B-cell leukemia (CLL) revealed three cytogenetically distinct clones, suggesting that the patient's leukemia was oligoclonal. Immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement studies revealed 1 germline and 4 rearranged bands, indicative of an oligoclonal leukemic population. Further evidence of oligoclonality was provided by X-linked RFLP studies. This is the first report of oligoclonality in CLL demonstrated by cytogenetic, immunoglobulin gene rearrangement, and X-chromosome inactivation studies. In addition to oligoclonality, the patient's leukemic cells exhibited telomere association, a Robertsonian translocation, and clonal evolution, suggesting an underlying genomic instability.
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