Abstract

V(D)J [variable-(diversity)-joining] rearrangements occur between, as well as within, immune receptor loci, resulting in the generation of hybrid antigen-receptor genes and the formation of a variety of lymphocyte-specific chromosomal aberrations. Such hybrid genes occur at a low frequency in the peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of normal individuals but show a markedly increased incidence in the PBL of individuals with the autosomal recessive disease ataxia-telangiectasia. In this manuscript we demonstrate that the frequency of hybrid antigen-receptor genes is 10- to 20-fold increased in the PBL of an occupational group, agriculture workers, with related environmental exposures. Both ataxia-telangiectasia patients and this population of agriculture workers are at increased risk for lymphoid malignancy. This result suggests that the measurement of hybrid antigen receptor-genes in PBL may be a sensitive assay for a type of lymphocyte-specific genomic instability. As a corollary, this assay may identify populations at risk of developing common types of lymphoid malignancy.