Position effect in translocation (2;8) in acute lymphocytic leukemia with kappa light chain immunoglobulin expression.

We report a correlation between t(2;8) translocation in acute lymphocytic leukemia and kappa light chain immunoglobulin production. Since the kappa chain genes are on chromosome #2, this, as well as data on Burkitt lymphoma, points to the possibility of position effect on the level of gene action. Chromosome #2 in the translocation together with chromosome #8 is concerned with malignancy, while the normal homologous chromosome #2 transcribes kappa chains. This model applies to B cell leukemias and lymphomas with changes in chromosome #2 which will predictably express kappa chains. The model also applies to B-cell malignancies with changes in chromosome #22 which will predictably express lambda chains.