Activation of the c-myc oncogene in B and T lymphoid tumors.

Abstract

The cellular myc protio-oncogene, which is homologous to the transforming gene of the acute avian retrovirus MC29, is strongly implicated in the development of B lymphomas. Most murine plasmacytomas and human Burkitt lymphomas display translocations now known to represent recombination of the cellular mc gene with the immunoglobulin heavy chain constant region (CH) locus. Since the findings by several groups that led to this important conclusion have been reviewed recently by Klein (1983), Perry (1983), and Leder et al. (1983), we will limit discussion here to our own recent data concerning the nature of the recombination event and its consequences for c-myc transcription. We also present ev..