Myelomatous plasma cells display an aberrant gene expression pattern similar to that observed in normal memory B cells

In the current study we have evaluated the hypothesis that myelomatous plasma cells (mPCs) might simultaneously gain the gene expression pattern acquired by a normal plasma cell (PC) along its maduration process but without losing the expression pattern displayed by memory B cells (MBCs) which confer these cells their long-term viability. Thus, mPCs would aberrantly share both activation and anti-apoptotic gene expression patterns from PCs and MBCs counterparts, respectively. This information may be an important contribution to the field of multiple myeloma (MM) research. 6 samples of normal PCs, 6 samples of mPCs and 5 samples of MBCs paired by two and hybrydized against a pool of 6 samples of naive B cells (NBCs)