BCL10 gene mutations rarely occur in lymphoid malignancies

BCL10, a gene involved in apoptosis signalling, has recently been identified through the cloning of chromosomal breakpoints in extranodal (MALT-type) marginal zone lymphomas carrying the t(1;14)(p22;q32) translocation. BCL10 was also found mutated in these cases as well as in other types of lymphoid and solid tumors, suggesting that its inactivation may play an important pathogenetic role; however, this has been questioned by recent studies showing a lack of somatic mutations in human cancers. We report the mutation analysis of exons 1-3 of the BCL10 gene in DNAs from 228 cases of lymphoid malignancies (30 B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemias, 123 B and 45 T non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and 30 multiple myelomas). Somatic mutations were detected in four cases (approximately 2\%): one small lymphocytic, one follicular and two diffuse large cell lymphomas. The mutations were all within exon 3 and have not been previously reported. Our data suggest that BCL10 mutations may play only a limited role in the pathogenesis of lymphoid neoplasms.