Disappearance of AML1-MTG8(ETO) fusion transcript in acute myeloid leukaemia patients with t(8;21) in long-term remission.
In a study of 23 patients with t(8;21)-associated acute myeloid leukaemia the AML1-MTG8 fusion transcript was present in the majority of serial samples obtained from 17 patients followed for up to 34 months after diagnosis, but was absent in samples from all six patients who had been in continuous complete remission for 61 months after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT), or for 52, 53, 123, 182 and 198 months, respectively, after courses of intensive chemotherapy. Previous studies showed that the AML1-MTG8 fusion transcript was present in most patients with this type of translocation in long-term remission. Our results indicate that blood cells of patients with t(8;21) in remission of over 10 years may not show the AML1-MTG8 fusion transcript, and that those of patients who have undergone allogeneic BMT or intensive chemotherapy may become fusion transcript-negative much earlier. Our study suggests that leukaemic cells with the AML1-MTG8 fusion transcript may survive for some time after courses of chemotherapy or BMT, but that they may eventually be eradicated by immunologic and other antileukaemic mechanisms.
Haematology Clinic, Third Clinical Department, Saitama Cancer Centre Hospital, Japan.
N
N
Satake
N
N
Maseki
T
T
Kozu
A
A
Sakashita
H
H
Kobayashi
M
M
Sakurai
M
M
Ohki
Y
Y
Kaneko
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002898:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D050676:Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D000075142:RUNX1 Translocation Partner 1 Protein; D015996:Survival Rate; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
D050676:Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000075142:RUNX1 Translocation Partner 1 Protein; C493728:RUNX1 protein, human; C082222:RUNX1T1 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors