[Diagnosis and follow-up in chronic myeloid leukemia. Detection and quantification of specific transcripts with the help of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction].
The Philadelphia chromosome in cells of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia can be detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). We have tested two new methods for this purpose. For diagnostic purposes, three different BCR-ABL translocations (b3a2, b2a2 and ela2) can be detected in a multiprimed, one step PCR reaction. By using a competitor DNA construct and a two-step, nested PCR reaction, a quantitative measure of the number of specific BCR-ABL transcripts can be estimated. We tested five patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. All of them showed positive BCR-ABL translocations in the diagnostic test. Patients with other myeloproliferative disorders, used as controls, were all negative. Quantitative measurements of specific BCR-ABL mRNA showed that as few as ten transcripts could be quantified in the assay. The analysis showed that coefficients of variation between 15% and 30% were obtained for specific transcripts per micrograms RNA, whereas specific BCR-ABL per normal ABL showed a coefficient of variation of 10%. These new methods to detect BCR-ABL translocation by RT-PCR should provide easy and sensitive diagnosis, and possibilities of monitoring residual disease or relapse.
Osland
A
A
Avdeling for klinisk kjemi, Sentralsjukehuset i Rogaland, Stavanger.
Shammas
F V
FV
Heikkilä
R
R
D006801:Humans; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D010677:Philadelphia Chromosome; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000378:metabolism; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase
Diagnostikk og oppfølging ved kronisk myelogen leukemi. Påvisning og kvantitering av spesifikke transkripter ved hjelp av revers transkriptase-polymerasekjedereaksjon.