Provocative pattern of rearrangements of the genes for the. gamma. and. beta. chains of the T-cell receptor in human leukemias

Journal Article · Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.84.13.4547· OSTI ID:5316250

Goorha, R; Bunin, N; Mirro, J Jr; Murphy, S B; Cross, A H; Behm, F G; Quertermous, T; Seidman, J; Kitchingman, G R

To examine the distribution of rearrangements of the ..gamma..- and ..beta..-chain T-cell receptor (TCR) genes in T- and non-T acute lymphoblastic leukemias (ALLs), and potentially to determine which genes rearrange first in ontogeny, the authors analyzed high molecular weight DNA from 102 patients with acute leukemia. Rearranged ..gamma..- and ..beta..-chain genes were found in all T-cell ALLs (22/22) examined. Overall, 27% (18/66) of B-lineage ALLs had ..beta..-chain gene rearrangements, and 41% (24/58) had ..gamma..-chain gene rearrangements, but the distribution of rearranged genes varied according to the stage of B-cell differentiation. The ..gamma..-chain genes were rearranged in 11% (1/9) of the B-lineage patients negative for the common acute lymphoblastic leukemia antigen (cALLA) and 50% (23/46) of cALLA/sup -/= ALL patients, while the ..beta..-chain genes were not rearranged in any of the 7 cALLA/sup -/ ALL patients examined but were rearranged in 32% (18/56) of the cALLA/sup +/ patients. Of the 44 cALLA/sup +/ patients in which a direct comparison of ..gamma..- and ..beta..-chain gene rearrangements could be made, 34% had both genes rearranged, 16% had only ..gamma..-chain gene rearrangements, and the remaining 50% had both genes in the germ-line configuration. ..beta..-Chain rearrangements have not been found in the absence of ..gamma..-chain rearrangements, thus supporting a proposed hierarchy of TCR gene rearrangements.

• Research Organization: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5316250
• Journal Information: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States), Vol. 84:13
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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