HYPERMUTATION OF THE MYC GENE IN DIFFUSE LARGE-CELL LYMPHOMAS WITH TRANSLOCATIONS INVOLVING BAND 8Q24

The sequence of the exon 1/intron 1 boundary region of the MYC gene wa s determined in two diffuse large cell lymphomas (DLCL), one with t(8; 14) (q24;q32) and the other with t(8;22) (q24;q11). Both tumors had m ultiple mutations in this region. Also, both tumors had mutations in t he protein binding site in intron 1, which is a frequent target for mu tational inactivation in endemic Burkitt's lymphoma (eBL). The translo cations at 8q24, and multiple mutations in the exon 1/intron 1 boundar y region, are reminiscent of similar findings in eBL. The same underly ing oncogenic event that occurs in most eBLs is thus found in some DLC Ls. (C) 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.