Immunoglobulin heavy chain and α T-cell receptor genes rearrange in T-cell leukemia associated with a t(14;14) (q11.2;q32) translocation

摘要

We report here a cytogenetic and molecular analysis of two cases of T-cell leukemia with t(14;14) (q11.2;q32). Through in situ hybridization and Southern blotting, using radioactively labeled immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) and α T-cell receptor (TCRA) gene probes, we found in both tumors that the loci of both IGH and TCRA were rearranged. Molecular analysis of the t(14; 14) clearly demonstrated that in some tumors rearrangements of the IGH and TCRA genes are associated with interchromosomal exchanges that result in specific chromosome translocations that confer a proliferative advantage and predisposition to leukemic transformation. The implication of these rearrangements for normal and neoplastic T-cell development is discussed