Subdivision of the acute non-lymphoblastic leukaemias by measurement of the relative abundance of a specific RNA sequence.
A recombinant plasmid library representing the more abundant polyadenylated RNA of a relapsed acute myelomonocytic leukaemic (FAB class M4) has been constructed. One recombinant, designated pAM6, contains a DNA sequence complementary to an RNA of about 1100 nucleotides in length. The relative concentrations of pAM6 RNA in the RNAs from cloned human haematopoietic cell lines and from fractionated leukaemic leukocytes and normal bone marrow cells, measured by an RNA dot hybridization method, indicated that pAM6 RNA occurs in myeloid cells, probably those of the monocyte lineage at the earlier stages in differentiation. Similar assays showed that pAM6 RNA could not be detected in the peripheral blood leukocytes of normal individuals, or of ALL and CLL patients, but that the relative abundance of pAM6 RNA varied widely in leukocytes from CGL chronic phase, CGL acute phase, and ANLL. No correlation between pAM6 RNA occurrence and FAB classification of ANLL could be made; thus it would appear that the relative abundance of pAM6 RNA in ANLL leukocytes can be used to subdivide the ANLLs in a novel manner. It is suggested that this criterion, in conjunction with existing diagnostic markers, may provide a subclassification of the ANLLs that could be of some prognostic and therapeutic value.
A M
AM
Warnock
J H
JH
Burns
G D
GD
Birnie
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000032:analysis; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000032:analysis; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D011061:Poly A / Q000032:analysis; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D011061:Poly A; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA