9;22 translocation and bcr rearrangements in chronic myelocytic leukemia patients among atomic bomb survivors.

To elucidate the mechanism of leukemia induced by radiation, we studied both chromosome abnormalities and bcr rearrangements of seven CML patients with a history of atomic bomb exposure and 14 CML patients without the exposure. All patients, irrespective of radiation exposure, had 9;22 translocation and rearrangement of the bcr gene in the leukemic cells. Further analysis of breakpoints within the bcr gene demonstrated no distinct difference between the exposed and the non-exposed groups. The present study suggests that formation of the chimeric bcr-abl gene and its genetic products may play an important role in the development of leukemia in either radiation-induced or de novo CML.