[Detection of a 14;18 breakpoint cluster region in B-cell lymphomas by PCR methods]

Cytogenetic studies of B-cell lymphomas have shown a t(14;18) chromosomal translocation in the majority of cases. However, its detection is not always simple to achieve and a new approach is urgently required. Recently, molecular biological analysis has revealed rearrangements of IgH and/or bcl-2 genes in the DNA of lymphomas. In these cases, a translocation-specific fragment, MBR (bcl-2/JH), could be amplified by PCR. Our present study clearly demonstrated the presence of MBR PCR products in 7 out of 8 cases with B-cell lymphoma. Thus, the results indicate that amplification of MBR by PCR is useful for detection of a translocation and therefore clinical diagnosis of lymphoma cells.