Diffuse large B-cell lymphomas of immunoblastic type are a major reservoir for MYC-IGH translocations.

The immunoblastic variant of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (IB-DLBCL) has recently been recognized as an aggressive lymphoma type with inferior prognosis as compared with other DLBCL variants. At the same time, the presence of MYC rearrangements in DLBCL has been shown to indicate shorter survival in R-CHOP-treated patients. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of MYC gene rearrangements in IB-DLBCL versus non-IB-DLBCL in a large series. Using fluorescence in situ hybridization with an MYC break-apart and MYC-IGH fusion probe, we found that 13/39 evaluable IB-DLBCLs (33%) harbor translocations involving MYC, in contrast with only 5/68 (7%) in the non-IB-DLBCL group (P<0.01). The immunoglobulin heavy chain gene (IGH) was the translocation partner in all rearrangements (100%) involving MYC in IB-DLBCL, which is in contrast to what has been reported for DLBCL in the literature (50% to 70%). Moreover, MYC rearrangements occurred as the sole translocation in the majority of cases (77%), whereas across all DLBCLs the majority of MYC-rearranged cases carry additional rearrangements of either BCL2 and/or BCL6 genes (between 58% and 83% of cases). Finally, MYC-rearranged IB-DLBCLs were CD10 positive in 62% (8/13), whereas this was an uncommon feature in MYC germline IB-DLBCLs (15%). In conclusion, IB-DLBCLs are genetically characterized by frequent MYC-IGH translocations that often occur without additional BCL2 and/or BCL6 translocations. The activation of MYC, therefore, may be an important pathogenetic feature in IB-DLBCL.

Does ursodeoxycholic acid change the proliferation of the colorectal mucosa?. A randomized, placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: In animal models ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) showed a chemoprotective effect against colon cancer. To explain this, a reduced proliferation of the colorectal mucosal proliferation was suggested. We, therefore, examined the influence of UDCA on the proliferation of normal colorectal mucosa in humans. METHODS: Following endoscopic polypectomy, 20 patients with colorectal adenomas were randomized to receive either UDCA (750 mg/day, n = 10, group A) or placebo (n = 10, group B) for 6 months in a double-blinded way. Colorectal biopsies were sampled before and at the end of the medication by total colonoscopy. Colorectal mucosal proliferation was measured by FACScan analysis of propidium iodine labeling. Serum was sampled, and serum bile acids were analyzed by gas chromatography. RESULTS: The proliferation rates at the end of the study were similar in both groups (median 15.4%; range 12.0-20.9 in group A; median 16.0%, 14.0-20.2 in group B, p = 0.41). Serum lithocholic acid levels at the end of the study were significantly higher in group A (1.3 micromol/l, 0.9-1.8) than in group B (0.7 micromol/l, 0-1.7, p < 0.02), whereas serum deoxycholic acid levels were similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, UDCA treatment for 6 months does not seem to induce changes in the proliferative behavior of the colorectal mucosa in patients with adenomas. It seems likely that a putative chemopreventive effect of UDCA in humans is not exerted by a reduction of the colorectal proliferation.