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Detection of monoclonal B lymphocytes in bone marrow and peripheral blood of multiple myeloma patients by immunoglobulin gene rearrangement studies
Author(s) -
Riet Ivan,
Heirman Carlo,
Lacor Patrick,
Waele Marc De,
Thielemans Kris,
Camp Ben
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1989.tb07742.x
Subject(s) - bone marrow , clone (java method) , antibody , gene rearrangement , multiple myeloma , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , monoclonal , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , lymphocyte , b cell , monoclonal antibody , immunoglobulin heavy chain , immunoglobulin light chain , immunoglobulin gene , immunology , pathology , medicine , gene , biochemistry , in vitro
Summary To investigate whether B lymphocytes are involved in the malignant cell clone of multiple myeloma (MM), we performed immunoglobulin gene rearrangement analysis of mononuclear cells and separated B lymphocytes, isolated from bone marrow and peripheral blood of MM patients. The B lymphocytes were separated by immunomagnetic beads, coated with an HLA class II specific antibody. Southern blot analysis with a J H probe revealed in the bone marrow of three out of seven patients identical immunoglobulin gene rearrangements in the B lymphocytes when compared to the plasma cells. Out of 10 patients, two patients with a high tumour burden were found to have monoclonal B lymphocytes in the peripheral blood. These results suggest that B lymphocytes in the bone marrow are part of the myeloma clone and that they can circulate in the peripheral blood. Although previous studies indicated that the ratio of K to λ bearing lymphocytes in the peripheral blood can provide evidence for B cell monoclonality, we did not find a correlation between the results of K/λ analysis and immunoglobulin gene rearrangement.