ALL-1 gene at chromosome 11q23 is consistently altered in acute leukemia of early infancy.
Early infancy (< 1 year of age), massive tumor cell burden, and extremely poor prognosis are characteristic features of a particular subset of childhood acute leukemias (AL). In these cases, chromosome aberrations at the 11q23 band are the most frequently reported cytogenetic abnormalities. We have recently cloned a genetic locus named ALL-1, in which DNA breakpoints are clustered in leukemic patients with 11q23 aberrations. Analysis of the ALL-1 genomic configuration in DNA from 15 infants with AL showed specific ALL-1 rearrangements in 12 cases (80%), including 5 with normal karyotypes. These findings indicate that a consistent genetic defect underlies this particular leukemic subset.
Cimino
G
G
Department of Hematology, University La Sapienza of Rome, Italy.
Lo Coco
F
F
Biondi
A
A
Elia
L
L
Luciano
A
A
Croce
C M
CM
Masera
G
G
Mandelli
F
F
Canaani
E
E
D000208:Acute Disease; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D002880:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D015245:Deoxyribonuclease BamHI; D015247:Deoxyribonuclease HindIII; D005260:Female; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007621:Karyotyping; D007938:Leukemia / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D015183:Restriction Mapping
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D015245:Deoxyribonuclease BamHI; D015247:Deoxyribonuclease HindIII