title: Amplification of c-MYC oncogene and point mutation of N-RAS oncogene point mutation in acute myelocytic leukemias with double minute chromosomes.
abstract: Two patients with acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) showing double minute (dmin) chromosomes were analysed to identify oncogene activation. Cytogenetic analysis showed 1-53 dmin chromosomes with the normal karyotype in the first patient and 1-84 dmin chromosomes with complex chromosome aberrations. Analysis of DNA from two patients revealed five- to tenfold amplification of c-MYC oncogene in the leukemic cells. The other sixteen oncogenes studied showed no increase in the gene content. Furthermore, a transforming gene, N-RAS was detected in the first patient by nude mouse tumorigenicity assay (in vivo selection assay). These results suggest that the amplification of c-MYC gene is common in dmin-positive AML patients and co-ordination of c-MYC and N-RAS oncogene might also play a significant role in the pathogenesis of some AML patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Hiroshima University, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takechi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oguma
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kamada
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification / Q000235:genetics*; D016259:Genes, myc / Q000235:genetics*; D011905:Genes, ras / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D017354:Point Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction