AIM:To analyze the characterization of T-cell receptor-γ(TCR-γ) gene rearrangement in the gastrointestinallymphomas and evaluate the value of PCR-SSCP analysisin gastrointestinal lymphomas investigation.METHODS:TCR-γ gene rearrangement segments ofgastrointestinal lymphomas were cloned and sequenced.Single clone plasmid and mixed clone plsamids weresubsequently submitted to PCR-SSCP analysis to investigatethe relationship between the number of amplified clonesand band patterns of the amplified products.The PCRproducts of TCR-γ gene rearrangement of 40 gastrointestinallymphomas were electrophoresed on agarose gels andthe positive cases on agarose gels were studied by SSCPanalysis.RESULTS:The sequencing showed that TCR-γ generearrangement of the gastrointestinal lymphomas includedfunctional gene and pseudogene with extensive variety inthe junctional regions.In SSCP analysis,the number ofthe single-stranded bands was about two times of thenumber of amplified clones,and double-stranded bandbecame broad with the increased number of the amplifiedclones.Thirteen of the 25 B-cell gastrointestinallymphomas and 14 of the 15 gastrointestinal T-celllymphomas were positive detected on agarose gelelectrophoresis.Of the positive cases detected by SSCPanalysis,3 B-cell lymphomas and 13 T-cell lymphomasshowed positive bands.The other cases showed onlysmears.The rearranged pattern included 13 monoallelicgene rearrangements and 3 biallelic or oligoclonal generearrangements.CONCLUSION:The pattern of TCR-γ gene rearrangementin gastrointestinal lymphomas are similar to that of thenodular lymphomas.PCR-SSCP analysis for TCR-γ generearrangement can be applied both for adjuvantdiagnosis of gastrointestinal lymphomas and analysis ofthe gene rearrangement:pattern.The ratio of TCR-γgene rearrangements occurred in T-cell gastrointestinallymphomas is significantly higher than that in B-cellgastrointestinal lymphomas.The gene rearrangementpattern involves monoallelic and biallelic (or oligoclonal)gene rearrangement. AIM: To analyze the characterization of T-cell receptor-γ (TCR-γ) gene rearrangement in the gastrointestinallymphomas and evaluate the value of PCR-SSCP analysis in gastrointestinal lymphomas investigation. METHODS: TCR-γ gene rearrangement segments ofgastrointestinal lymphomas were cloned and sequenced . Single clone plasmid and mixed clone plsamids weredibated submitted to PCR-SSCP analysis to investigate the relationship between the number of amplified clones and band patterns of the amplified products. PCR products of TCR-γ gene rearrangement of 40 gastrointestinally mpho were electrophoresed on agarose gels and the positive cases on agarose gels were studied by SSCP analysis. RESULTS: The sequencing showed that TCR-γ generearrangement of the gastrointestinal lymphomas included functional gene and pseudogene with extensive variety inthe junctional regions. SSCP analysis, the number of the single-stranded bands was about two times of thenumber of amplified clones, and double-stranded bandbecame broad with the increased number of the amplified clones. Thirteen of 25 B-cell gastrointestinally mphomas and 14 of the 15 gastrointestinal T-celllymphomas were positive detected on agarose gelelectrophoresis. Of the positive cases detected by SSCPanalysis, 3 B-cell lymphomas and 13 T -cell lymphomasshowed positive bands.The other cases showed onlysmears. rearranged pattern included 13 monoallelicgene rearrangements and 3 biallelic or oligoclonal generearrangements. CONCLUSION: The pattern of TCR-γ gene rearrangement in gastrointestinal lymphomas is similar to that ofodular lymphomas. PCR-SSCP analysis for TCR-γ generearrangement can be applied both for adjuvant diagnosis of gastrointestinal lymphomas and analysis of the gene rearrangement: pattern. The ratio of TCR-γ gene rearrangements occurred in T-cell gastrointestinally impho is higher higher than that in B-cell gastrointestinal hypothalamic. The gene rearrangement patterns monoallelic and biallelic (or olig oclonal) gene rearrangement.