POINT MUTATIONS OF THE BCL-6 GENE IN BURKITTS-LYMPHOMA

BCL-6 codes for a transcription factor implicated in chromosomal trans locations of diffuse large cell lymphomas. Recent evidence indicates t hat BCL-6 may also be altered by mutations of its 5' non-coding region s. In this study we have investigated the distribution of BCL-6 5' mut ations among 35 Burkitt's lymphoma cases representative of the epidemi ologic variants of the disease. Mutations were detected in 6/21 (28.6% ) sporadic Burkitt's lymphomas and 7/14 (50%) endemic Burkitt's lympho mas. These data expand the spectrum of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas associated with BCL-6 5' mutations and have implications for the patho genesis, histogenesis and clinical monitoring of Burkitt's lymphoma.