SIMULTANEOUS DETECTION OF MYC, BVRI, AND PVTI TRANSLOCATIONS IN LYMPHOID MALIGNANCIES BY FLUORESCENCE IN-SITU HYBRIDIZATION

The rapid detection of chromosome band 8q24 rearrangements, including classical translocations involving MYC and variant 3' translocations, is important for the accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment of l ymphoid malignancies. We have identified and characterized a CEPH YAC, 934e1, which extends from at least 190 kbp upstream to over 280 kbp d ownstream to MYC, allowing detection of classical t(8;14)(q24;q32) and variant t(8;22)(q24;q11) and t(8;14)(q24;q11), extending distal to PV T1 and therefore, by extrapolation, to BVR1. This YAC also allowed cla rification of complex chromosome 8 abnormalities and the identificatio n of translocations in interphase nuclei. A second CEPH YAC, 904c3, pr eviously shown to contain the PVT1 locus but nor. MYC, allowed distinc tion between translocations occurring centromeric and telomeric to MYC . Use of the 934e1 YAC will aid classification of a variety of lymphoi d proliferations and further characterization of rearranged cases with the 904c3 YAC will simplify mapping of their diverse breakpoints. Gen es Chromosomes Cancer 23:220-226, 1998. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.