Deletions in the 13q14 locus in adult lymphoblastic leukemia: rate of incidence and relevance.
BACKGROUND
A putative tumor suppressor gene involved in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has been localized to the 13q14 locus. Microsatellite analysis was used to test whether this locus also is involved in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and its prognostic relevance determined.


METHODS
The authors analyzed 49 patients with adult ALL for deletions at the 13q14 locus using a battery of 6 microsatellite markers corresponding to this region (D13S260, STR257, D13S263, D13S153, D13S319, and AFMa301wb5).


RESULTS
Five of the 49 adult ALL patients analyzed (10%) showed loss of heterozygosity (LOH) or deletions at 13q14. Similar to CLL, the significant minimal deletions appeared to be localized between D13S260 and AFMa301wb5 and did not involve the retinoblastoma or BRCA2 genes. Among newly diagnosed patients, LOH was associated with shorter survival (P = 0.007).


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that the 13q14 gene, commonly deleted in CLL patients, also is deleted in some patients with adult ALL. Although the number of the cases in the current study is small, 13q deletions in ALL patients may play a role in the clinical behavior of this disease.
Chung
C Y
CY
Section of Hematopathology, Division of Medicine, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Kantarjian
H
H
Haidar
M
M
Starostik
P
P
Manshouri
T
T
Gidel
C
C
Freireich
E
E
Keating
M
M
Albitar
M
M
D000328:Adult; D024682:BRCA2 Protein; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002882:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 13 / Q000235:genetics*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D017353:Gene Deletion; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics*; D011379:Prognosis; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein / Q000235:genetics; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D015996:Survival Rate; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics
D024682:BRCA2 Protein; D005819:Genetic Markers; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein; D014157:Transcription Factors