Deregulation of immunoglobulin expression: is this the main cause of Burkitt's lymphoma?

We here examine the role of c-myc in the aetiology of Burkitt's lymphomas. We suggest that c-myc causes cellular clones to become immortal while the deregulation of cell multiplication is the consequence of an altered production and/or structure of immunoglobulin chains caused by the 8-14, 8-2 or 8-22 translocations. Data relative to other immunoproliferative disorders are consistent with the hypothesis that the immunoglobulins play a key role in the regulation of the multiplication of lymphocytic cells.