1q12 chromosome translocations form aberrant heterochromatic foci associated with changes in nuclear architecture and gene expression in B cell lymphoma.

ABSTRACT: Epigenetic perturbations are increasingly described in cancer cells where they are thought to contribute to deregulated gene expression and genome instability. Here, we report the first evidence that a distinct category of chromosomal translocations observed in human tumours--those targeting 1q12 satellite DNA--can directly mediate such perturbations by promoting the formation of aberrant heterochromatic foci (aHCF). By detailed investigations of a 1q12 translocation to chromosome 2p, in a case of human B cell lymphoma, aberrant aHCF were shown to be localized to the nuclear periphery and to arise as a consequence of long range 'pairing' between the translocated 1q12 and chromosome 2 centromeric regions. Remarkably, adjacent 2p sequences showed increased levels of repressive histone modifi

SUBMITTER: Fournier A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3377314 | biostudies-literature | 2010 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature