Differential gene expression in B-Cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of SIV-infected monkey

Infection with SIVmac251 in some rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) leads to B -cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (B-NHL) clinically similar to that of HIV-inf ected AIDS patients. To further characterize the SIV-associated B-NHL cre h ave generated genetic profiles of malignant cells by subtractive hybridizat ion and Northern blot analysis. We have analyzed 21 clones of a subtracted cDNA library corresponding to overexpressed genes in diffuse large B-cell ( DLBCL) SIV-associated monkey lymphoma. Eight of these clones represent a se quence homologous to an abundant transcript from KG-1 cells originally esta blished from a human myelogenous leukemia. The protein encoded has a 60% si milarity to a hypothetical glycine-rich transmembrane signal protein of Cae norhabditis elegans and 25% similarity to the I et finger protein. The othe r cDNA clones contained sequences of the serum amyloid A gene (SAA), the al pha(1)-acid glycoprotein gene (AGP), the ribosomal protein S3a (RPS3a) and L8 (RPL8) genes, the interferon-inducible gene (INF-ind), the metastasin ge ne (mts1), and the NADH dehydrogenase I gene (ND-I), The remaining cDNA clo nes consisted of yet unknown sequences. In addition, we detected an up-regu lation of the cytochrome c oxidase II gene (COX-II), the ND-IV gene, and th e SET oncogene by Northern blot hybridization in three SIV-associated NHLs of different histomorphological classification, All these genes have not pr eviously been found to be overexpressed in B-NHL.