title: A new complex translocation (15;20;17)(q22;p13;q21) in acute promyelocytic leukemia.
abstract: We describe here a 39-year-old male with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) carrying a new complex translocation (15;20;17). A chromosomal analysis of the bone marrow cells showed 46, XY, t(15;20;17)(q22;p13;q21). Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis using plasmid DNA libraries of chromosomes 15, 17, and 20 revealed three derivative chromosomes, der(15)t(15;17), der(17)t(17;20), and der(20)t(15;20). Fluorescence in situ hybridization with cosmid DNA probes flanking the breakpoints of t(15;17) did not show the retinoic acid receptor alpha (RAR alpha)/PML fusion signal usually generated on the der(17)t(15;17). However, rearrangement of the RAR alpha gene and expression of the PML/RAR alpha chimeric transcript were identified by Southern blot and reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analyses, respectively. Our results confirmed that the PML/RAR alpha gene on the der(15)t(15;17), not the RAR alpha/PML gene, must be essential to leukemogenesis in APL. Furthermore, considering another reported case with a 20p13 aberration, it is possible that 20p13 is a nonrandom breakpoint in APL with a complex translocation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hamaguchi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagata
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takashima
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taniwaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002884:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 15; D002886:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17; D002890:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 20; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; C093476:promyelocytic leukemia-retinoic acid receptor alpha fusion oncoprotein