FGFR3 preferentially colocalizes with IGH in the interphase nucleus of multiple myeloma patient B-cells when FGFR3 is located outside of CT4.

Many B-cell malignancies are characterized by chromosomal translocations involving IGH and a proto-oncogene. For translocations to occur, spatial proximity of translocation-prone genes is necessary. Currently, it is not known how such genes are brought into proximity with one another.

Differential nuclear organization of translocation-prone genes in nonmalignant B cells from patients with t(14;16) as compared with t(4;14) or t(11;14) myeloma.

Gene organization in nonmalignant B cells from t(4;14) and t(11;14) multiple myeloma (MM) patients differs from that of healthy donors. Among recurrent IGH translocations in MM, the frequency of t(4;14) (IGH and FGFR3) or t(11;14) (IGH and CCND1) is greater than the frequency of t(14;16) (IGH and MAF). Gene organization in t(14;16) patients may influence translocation potential of MAF with IGH.

Differential positioning and close spatial proximity of translocation-prone genes in nonmalignant B-cells from multiple myeloma patients.

Accumulating evidence suggests that spatial proximity of potential chromosomal translocation partners influences translocation probability. It is not known, however, whether genome organization differs in nonmalignant cells from patients as compared to their cellular counterparts from healthy donors. This could contribute to translocation potential causing cancer.

Promiscuity of translocation partners in multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by karyotypic instability, including chromosomal translocations involving the IGH locus. MM cells display a promiscuity of translocation partners, only some of which are recurrent. We propose that several factors, including temporal and spatial nuclear positioning of potential partner loci, "off-target" IGH diversification mechanisms, and aberrant repair pathways contribute to the promiscuity of translocation partners in MM.

A unique three-dimensional model for evaluating the impact of therapy on multiple myeloma.

Although the in vitro expansion of the multiple myeloma (MM) clone has been unsuccessful, in a novel three-dimensional (3-D) culture model of reconstructed bone marrow (BM, n = 48) and mobilized blood autografts (n = 14) presented here, the entire MM clone proliferates and undergoes up to 17-fold expansion of malignant cells harboring the clonotypic IgH VDJ and characteristic chromosomal rearrangements. In this system, MM clone expands in a reconstructed microenvironment that is ideally suited for testing specificity of anti-MM therapeutics. In the 3-D model, melphalan and bortezomib had distinct targets, with melphalan targeting the hematopoietic, but not stromal com-partment.