The major subtypes of human B‐cell lymphomas lack mutations in BCL‐2 family member BAD

Members of the BCL‐2 gene family are well known for their role in the pathogenesis of B‐cell lymphomas in humans and in mouse models. A recent report that knockout mice deficient for the proapoptotic BCL‐2 family member gene BAD frequently develop B‐cell lymphomas prompted us to analyze a large collection of human B‐cell lymphomas for inactivating mutations in the BAD gene. All 3 exons of the BAD gene were amplified and directly sequenced. The 81 lymphomas analyzed included 16 cases of B‐cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia, 11 mantle‐cell lymphomas, 10 follicular lymphomas, 7 MALT lymphomas, 8 Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines, 3 cell lines of multiple myeloma, 15 cases and 4 cell lines of diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma and 7 Hodgkin's lymphoma lines. No mutations were found in any of the cases. We conclude that mutations in the BAD gene do not play a role in the pathogenesis of the major subtypes of human B‐cell lymphomas. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.