Translocations that highlight chromosomal regions of differentiated activity.

The frequent translocation of the c-myc oncogene into the immunoglobulin loci in tumors of B lymphocytes prompted us to ask whether or not disease-associated chromosomal translocations specific for other disorders in different cell types would also involve regions of the genome encoding important differentiation-specific products made by these cells. We have studied the karyotypes of two patients with erythroleukemia and an established erythroleukemia cell line, K562 (late passages), and find translocations within the chromosomal regions to which the genes that encode alpha and beta globin have been assigned. Additionally, we have analyzed the karyotype of cloned B-lymphocytes, including both kappa and lambda producing cells, from a patient with ataxia telangiectasia (AT) and find a translocation between the regions encoding immunoglobulin (Ig) light and heavy chain genes whereas a different translocation not involving these regions is seen in T-lymphocytes from the same patient. These examples provide insight into the mechanism of chromosomal translocation in both cancerous and noncancerous conditions and lead to the speculation that genomic activity is a necessary factor in the generation of some chromosomal translocations.