[Molecular genetic analysis of intravascular malignant lymphomatosis cells]

In this study, we examined the VDJ region of the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) gene in intravascular malignant lymphomatosis (IML). The VDJ regions were amplified using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with consensus primers of the V and J regions of the IgH gene. Specimens from all the IML cases produced a monoclonal band. Specimens from metastatic carcinomas, brain tumors and normal tissues produced no monoclonal amplification. By cloning and sequencing the amplified VDJ regions, we have determined nucleotide sequences of rearranged regions of the IgH genes. In addition, we also examined tumor suppressor genes. The polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis revealed no abnormal migration in exons 5 to 8 of the p53 gene, exon 2 of the p16 gene and exon 2 of the p21 gene. These findings suggested that mutation of p53, p16 and p21 genes is rarely related with the tumorigenesis of IML. The presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was also analyzed using PCR. EBV DNA was detected in one of five IML specimens. This result indicates that IML may be associated with EBV.