Search for Rearrangements and/or Allelic Loss of the fas/APO-1 Gene in 101 Human Lymphoma

The authors analyzed the possible occurrence of rearrangements and/ or allelic loss of the fas/ APO -1 gene in a representative series of human lymphomas, including 101 cases of Hodgkin’s disease (HD) and non- Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHL). The rationale for this study was double. Chromosome 10 alterations, frequently observed in lymphoma subtypes, encompass the chromosomal localization of fas/ APO -1. In addition, Ipr mouse mutants, which present with a generalized lymphopro- liferative disease, were shown to exhibit alterations of fas/ APO -1 structure and expression. In this retrospective study, the authors performed gene dosage of fas/ APO -1 by Southern blots. No fas/ APO -1 alterations were observed in the 31 HD cases. Among 70 T-cell and Bcell NHL, allelic loss of fas/ APO -1 was observed in three cases. Two cases with different clinical, phenotypic, and histologic presentations showed a rearrangement of fas/ APO -1. A third case showed amplification. Thus fas/ APO -1 alterations do occur in human lymphomas, although at a relatively low frequency.