Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction for the diagnosis and molecular monitoring of the PML/RAR alpha fusion gene in acute promyelocytic leukemia.
Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is characterized by a specific t(15;17) translocation and a high rate of response to all-trans retinoic acid. The translocation generates a PML/RAR alpha chimeric gene which is transcribed in a fusion PML/RAR alpha mRNA. In this study, by using RT-PCR, we examined 14 APL patients for PML/RAR alpha fusion gene transcripts. Eight patients were studied at diagnosis, 2 at relapse, 1 both at relapse and after reinduction, 1 both at diagnosis and after three cycles of consolidation chemotherapy, and 2 patients were examined for minimal residual disease (MRD) 4 months after completing treatment. A positive result was observed in all 14 cases. Two patients who were in complete hematologic remission had evidence of hematologic relapse soon after the positive test. We conclude that RT-PCR for APL yields important diagnostic and prognostic information for the APL patients.
First Department of Internal Medicine, University of Athens, Greece.
N A
NA
Viniou
X
X
Yataganas
K
K
Stamatopoulos
I
I
Xefteri
T
T
Kalmantis
P
P
Papasavas
C
C
Mitsulis
J
J
Rombos
J
J
Meletis
K
K
Bourantas
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001483:Base Sequence; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; C093476:promyelocytic leukemia-retinoic acid receptor alpha fusion oncoprotein