Abstract:
Objective This study aims to explore the significance oft (14; 18) translocation and BCL2 expression in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
Methods Data from 142 cases with DLBCL in various organs and sites were retrieved from the file. The expression of CD 10, Bcl6, MUM 1, and BCL2 antigen was detected in paraffin-embedded tissues using immunohistoehemical techniques. Germinal cell-B (GCB)-DLBCL and non-GCB-DLBCL subtypes were then identified through immunophenotyping. The occurrence of t (14; 18) translocation, manifested as a MBR/JH or mcr/JH gene rearrangement, in 75 lymph node DLBCL cases was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction using fresh samples.
Results BCL2 expression was present in 52.8% (75/142) of the cases. Among the 51 total cases with a GCB subtype, 18 presented BCL2 expression (35.3%), whereas in 91 of the 103 cases with a non-GCB subtype, BCL2 was expressed in 57 (62.6%). The positive rate for BCL2 in the two groups differed significantly (P = 0.002). BCL2 expression was also significantly different in patients with DLBCL compared with patients with lesions in other organs/sites (P = 0.01). The t (14; 18) translocation was seen in the lymph nodes of 18.7% of the DLBCL cases, with positive cases mainly seen in those with GCB-DLBCL.
Conclusion The t (14; 18) translocation is the genetic feature of GCB-DLBCL. BCL2 expression shows heterogeneity in DLBCL of different subtypes and in different organs sites.