title: Lack of correlation between ABL-BCR expression and response to interferon-alpha in chronic myeloid leukaemia.
abstract: Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) is useful in the treatment of Philadelphia (Ph)-positive chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). There is, however, a marked heterogeneity among CML patients in relation to their response to IFN-alpha treatment, the reasons for which are unknown. Since the reciprocal ABL-BCR gene is transcriptionally active in only a proportion of CML patients, it has been suggested that response to IFN-alpha may correlate with ABL-BCR expression. In the present study we have tested 209 Ph-positive CML patients for expression of ABL-BCR, BCR-ABL and the normal BCR and ABL genes by reverse transcriptase/polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR). Whereas BCR-ABL, BCR and ABL transcripts were detected in all the patients, ABL-BCR expression was observed in 59% of the cases. A group of 105 patients within this series was treated with IFN-alpha; 33% achieved a complete or major cytogenetic response (< 35% Ph-positive metaphases) and the remaining 67% showed minimal or no response to IFN-alpha. The proportions of patients who were ABL-BCR positive (63%) and ABL-BCR negative (37%) were the same for good responders and poor responders, suggesting that there is no correlation between ABL-BCR expression and cytogenetic response to IFN-alpha in CML.
authors.affiliation: LRF Leukaemia Unit, Department of Haematology, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, London.
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hochhaus
authors.forename: X H
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Goldman
mesh_terms: D002678:Chimera; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D016313:Genes, abl / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D015513:Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051562:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcr; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl; C496613:BCR protein, human; D051562:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcr