Deletion of alpha-, beta-, and omega-interferon genes in malignant cells from children with acute lymphocytic leukemia.
Scanning densitometry and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis were used to study the alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and omega-interferon (IFN) genes in malignant cells from 11 children with acute lymphocytic leukemia and in one cell line of T-cell origin. In the malignant cells of one patient there was a complete loss of alpha-, beta-, and omega-IFN genes, whereas in another patient one of the alleles of these genes had been deleted. Cytogenetic analysis revealed a deletion of the short arm of chromosome 9, i.e., the region containing the alpha-, beta-, and omega-IFN genes, in the latter patient. The normal cells of the patients with IFN gene deletions had two alleles of the alpha-, beta-, and omega-IFN genes. In cells from none of the patients could deletions or rearrangements of the gamma-IFN genes be detected. We conclude that in 2 of 11 patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia the malignant transformation is accompanied by loss of material on one or both chromosomes 9 and that the alpha-, beta-, and omega-IFN genes are included in these deletions.
Division of Experimental Oncology, Radiumhemmet, Stockholm, Sweden.
S
S
Einhorn
D
D
Grandér
O
O
Björk
K
K
Bröndum-Nielsen
S
S
Söderhäll
D000293:Adolescent; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D002899:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 9; D015342:DNA Probes; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019003:Deoxyribonuclease HpaII; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific; D005260:Female; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000235:genetics*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics*; D007621:Karyotyping; D008297:Male; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
D015342:DNA Probes; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D007370:Interferon Type I; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D019003:Deoxyribonuclease HpaII; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific