Chromosomal imbalances in adult T-cell leukemia revealed by comparative genomic hybridization: gains at 14q32 and 2p16-22 in cell lines

Comparative genomic hybridization was used to identify chromosomal imbalances in eight cell lines and 12 blood samples from patients with adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL). The chromosomes most often over-represented in the cell lines were 2p (6 cases), 7q (4 cases), and 14q (4 cases), with minimal common regions at 2p16-22, 7q21-36, and 14q32, respectively. Distinct imbalances were detected in only 7 of the clinical samples. Chromosomes 14q32 and 2p16-22 harbor TCL1 and a transcription factor, HTLF (human T-cell leukemia virus enhancer factor), respectively. FISH analysis revealed that TCL1 did not juxtapose to TCRA, and we detected no expression of TCL1 in any of the ATL cell lines despite the 14q32 amplifications. Moreover, expression of HTLF was not elevated in the ATL cell lines bearing multiplication of 2p. These results suggest that chromosomal regions 2p16-22 and 14q32 harbor genes other than HTLF and TCL1 that are involved in cellular immortalization or in the pathogenesis of ATL.