Alteration and abnormal expression of the c myc oncogene in human multiple myeloma.

Structural alterations of the c-myc oncogene in humanBurkitt’s lymphoma and mouse plasmacytoma suggest thatthis oncogene is involved in several B cell neoplasms. This report describes alterations in the c-myc locus with concomitant elevated expression of mRNA in the tumor cells of two of 37 patients withmultiple myeloma. In one case. somatic cell hybrid studies revealed that the cloned rearranged DNA was entirelyderived from chromosome 8. thus indicating a novel mechanismof c-myc activation different from that in Burkitt’slymphoma. Seven other patients exhibited five- to 12-foldoverexpression of c-myc RNA when compared with normalmarrow cells. Elevated mRNA expression in about onefourth of our patients suggests that the c-myc oncogenehas a pathogenetic role in the evolution of multiple myeloma.