title: Expression pattern of the RAR alpha-PML fusion gene in acute promyelocytic leukemia.
abstract: Two chimeric genes, PML-RAR alpha and RAR alpha-PML, are formed as a consequence of the acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL)-specific reciprocal translocation of chromosomes 15 and 17 [t(15;17)]. PML-RAR alpha is expressed as a fusion protein. We investigated the organization and expression pattern of the RAR alpha-PML gene in a series of APL patients representative of the molecular heterogeneity of the t(15;17) and found (i) two types of RAR alpha-PML mRNA junctions (RAR alpha exon 2/PML exon 4 or RAR alpha exon 2/PML exon 7) that maintain the RAR alpha and PML longest open reading frames aligned and are the result of chromosome 15 breaking at two different sites; and (ii) 10 different RAR alpha-PML fusion transcripts that differ for the assembly of their PML coding exons. A RAR alpha-PML transcript was present in most, but not all, APL patients.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Clinica Medica I, University of Perugia, Policlinico Monteluce, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alcalay
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zangrilli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fagioli
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Pandolfi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mencarelli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lo Coco
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Biondi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grignani
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Pelicci
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D002884:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 15; D002886:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17; D005091:Exons; D015870:Gene Expression; D005796:Genes; D006801:Humans; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D051562:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcr; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D014178:Translocation, Genetic; D016335:Zinc Fingers
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; D014157:Transcription Factors; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C496613:BCR protein, human; D051562:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcr