Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0038002 (splenomegaly)
 9,873 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The candidate proto-oncogene BCL3 was isolated through its involvement in the t(14;19) found in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and other B-cell neoplasms. As a member of the I kappaB family, BCL3 plays a role in the immune response by interactions with the NF-kappaB family of transcription factors. In order to study the role of BCL3 overexpression in lymphoid malignancies, we generated five lines of E mu-BCL3 transgenic mice. Transgenic animals develop normally but show splenomegaly and an accumulation of mature B cells in lymph nodes, bone marrow and peritoneal cavity. A hyperresponsive immune system is suggested by the follicular hyperplasia and plasmacytosis in lymph nodes of unimmunized animals, increased incidence of antibodies to self-antigens, and a heightened response to cross-linking of surface IgM. Statistically significant decreases in serum IgM and IgG3, but an increase in IgG1 and IgA were also observed. No lymphoid neoplasms have been identified in transgenic animals. The expansion of B cells in vivo is consistent with the overexpression of BCL3 as being one step in the multi-step process of leukemogenesis. The phenotype also suggests that BCL3 plays a part in B cell proliferation and isotype switching.
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PMID:Lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, and altered immunoglobulin production in BCL3 transgenic mice. 962 May 50

The t(14;19)(q32;q13), involving the BCL3 locus at chromosome 19q13 and the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene at 14q32, is a rare recurrent cytogenetic abnormality identified in B-cell neoplasms, most of which have been classified as chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) in the literature. We describe the clinicopathological, immunophenotypic and cytogenetic findings in seven patients with B-cell neoplasms associated with t(14;19)(q32;q13). There were five men and two women, with a median age of 48 years (range 33-68). All had absolute lymphocytosis, six had lymphadenopathy, and one had splenomegaly. Lymphocytes in blood and bone marrow aspirate smears were predominantly small and cytologically atypical. Flow cytometric immunophenotyping showed an atypical immunophenotype with low CLL scores. The growth pattern in bone marrow biopsy specimens was interstitial to diffuse; immunohistochemical stains were positive for bcl3 and negative for cyclin D1. Lymph node biopsy specimens of two patients revealed total architectural effacement by neoplasm with proliferation centres. In addition to t(14;19), cytogenetic studies demonstrated trisomy 12 in five patients. These results suggest that B-cell neoplasms with the t(14;19)(q32;q13) present frequently as leukaemia composed of small B-lymphocytes and share many features with CLL. However, these neoplasms also differ from CLL cytologically and in their immunophenotype.
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PMID:The t(14;19)(q32;q13)-positive small B-cell leukaemia: a clinicopathologic and cytogenetic study of seven cases. 1837 8