Chromosomal abnormalities in Waldenström's macroglobulinemia

We report the results of cytogenetic studies of direct bone marrow (BM) preparations and of short-term BM and peripheral blood (PB) cultures from 17 patients with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia. We noted clonal chromosome changes in 10 patients. Abnormalities affected chromosomes X, Y, 2, 4, 5, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22; in particular, chromosomes 2, 4, and 5 were involved in structural changes: a homogeneously staining region [hsr(2)], a der(4)t(4;?)(q32;?), and a 5q+. The other chromosomes were involved in numerical abnormalities, such as pseudodiploidy (a 46,X,-X,+15 clone), loss of chromosome Y, and monosomy of chromosomes 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22. Nonclonal chromosome rearrange…

Possible involvement of the IL4 gene in Waldenström's macroglobulinemia

Abstract We report the results of a molecular investigation of 11 patients affected by Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, a rare B-cell malignancy characterized by an excessive proliferation of immunoglobulin(Ig)M-secreting plasmacytoid cells. In particular, we studied the interleukin-4 (IL4) gene, which codes for a B-specific growth factor capable of stimulating the proliferation and differentiation of secreting plasma cells. By Southern hybridization, in three patients we found the presence of additional bands in comparison with the expected pattern; moreover, these bands showed a different degree of intensity.

Cytogenetic findings in secondary acute nonlymphocytic leukemia

Abstract We here report the results of cytogenetic studies carried out in eight patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia developed after primary neoplasias. In seven of the reported cases, clonal chromosome aberrations were found, some being specific of de novo acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL). Numerical abnormalities were detected, such as the total monosomy of chromosomes 5, 7, 21, trisomy of chromosomes 8, 11, 15, and duplication of chromosome Y. Structural changes were also observed: a del(12)(p12), a del(16)(q22), the translocations t(3;5)(p21;q35),t(3;7)(p21;q35), and t(12;14)(p12;q32) and other changes involving chromosome 8. The finding of a hypertetraploid karyotype with com…

The Kormendy relation of early-type galaxies as a function of wavelength in Abell S1063, MACS J0416.1-2403, and MACS J1149.5+2223

The wavelength dependence of the Kormendy relation (KR) is well characterised at low redshift but poorly studied at intermediate redshifts. The KR provides information on the evolution of the population of early-type galaxies (ETGs). Therefore, by studying it, we may shed light on the assembly processes of these objects and their size evolution. As studies at different redshifts are generally conducted in different rest-frame wavebands, it is important to investigate whether the KR is dependent on wavelength. Knowledge of such a dependence is fundamental to correctly interpreting the conclusions we might draw from these studies. We analyse the KRs of the three Hubble Frontier Fields cluster…

Grapevine infectious diseases in Sicily

Clastogenic and aneuploidizing effects of antiblastic busulphan revealed by kinetochore immunofluorescence in CHO cells.

We utilized, in CHO cells, the cytoplasm preservation technique to evaluate the micronucleus frequency at different busulphan concentrations, and the indirect immunofluorescence technique, using sera obtained from patients with scleroderma (CREST variant), to analyze if busulphan-induced micronuclei have kinetochores. Results show that this alkylating agent is capable of causing a significant increase of micronuclei in vitro, a great part (40%) of them having CREST-positive kinetochores. These findings confirm the clastogenic effect of busulphan and reveal a considerable capability of this agent to induce aneuploidy. These results are examined taking into account the high incidence of secon…

Latifoglie in Sicilia: un laboratorio di casi fitopatologici

Si riportano alcuni casi fitopatologici osservati su differenti latifoglie, in vari ambienti boschivi siciliani. Le indagini, in particolare, sono state rivolte all’isolamento e all’identificazione dei mi-crorganismi fungini associati alle alterazioni. In alcuni casi, inoltre, mediante saggi d’inoculazione artificiale, è stata valutata la loro eventuale patogenicità. Tra i numerosi taxa identificati, alcuni, noti come parassiti di debolezza, hanno mostrato una spiccata attitudine fitopatogena su ospiti sani e stressati. Gli studi condotti, evidenziando l’incidenza e la severità di alcune malattie, accertano un generale stato di sofferenza delle latifoglie forestali, dovuto, probabilmente, a…

Inherited pericentric inversion of human chromosome 5.

Une inversion pericentrique heterozygote du chromosome 5 a ete decouverte dans les cellules de la moelle osseuse et dans les lymphocytes peripheriques stimules par le phytohemagglutinine d'une femme de 75 ans atteinte de myelofibrose et de metaplasie myeloide. L'inversion etait presente dans 100% des metaphases etudiees. Les points de cessure du chromosome 5 etaient localises en k15 et q10. Une etude de la famille est presentee

“Masked” Philadelphia chromosome resulting from a t(X;22) in chronic myeloid leukemia

Abstract A rare cytogenetic finding in chronic myeloid leukemia is reported. It consisted in a “masked” Philadelphia chromosome, resulting from an unusual translocation between chromosomes #22 and X. The t(X;22) was present in 100% of direct and cultured bone marrow cell preparations. Chromosome #9 did not seem to be involved in the formation of the Ph marker. Involvement of the X chromosome in karyotypic changes of hematologic diseases, with particular respect to chronic myeloid leukemia, is discussed.

Spontaneous Endoreduplication, Tetraploidy and Chromosome Breakage in Lymphocyte Cultures from Healthy Subjects

SUMMARY42,703 metaphases of peripheral lymphocytes from 20 healthy subjects (10 women and 10 men) were examined in order to establish the frequency of endoreduplicated cells and of tetraploid cells without diplochromosomes. Frequencies were found to be 0.016% and 0.112%, respectively. The two sexes did not differ as to the frequency of tetraploid cells, with and without diplochromosomes (about 0.13% in either sex). In a total of 2,135 well spread metaphases examined, 26 cells (i.e. 1.2%) with chromosomal breaks were found. Again, no significant differences between the two sexes were found as to such chromosome abnormalities.

Sister chromatid exchange in Waldenström's macroglobulinemia

Results on sister chromatid exchange (SCE) frequency and interchromosomal distribution in bone marrow and peripheral blood cultures from patients with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia are reported. PHA-stimulated bone marrow cultures showed increased SCE frequencies in all 12 patients examined. The increase was particularly high in two cases (17.07 and 16.77 SCE/cell, respectively) and, in one of them, a very high SCE level was found in PHA-stimulated peripheral blood culture (40.81 SCE/cell). In LPS-stimulated cultures, increased SCE levels were observed in some patients. Comparison between SCE frequency in bone marrow cell cultures with either mitogen showed a significant increase in PHA-s…