title: Pattern of immunoglobulin (Ig) and T-cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangements in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in India.
abstract: In 120 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (median age 8 years), IgH chain gene was rearranged in 99% B-Cell Precursor (BCP) ALLs and 13% T-ALLs. One or the other TCR locus was rearranged not only in all T-ALLs, but also in 87% of BCP-ALLs. TCR-beta rearrangement in BCP-ALL was associated with a higher mean age at presentation (8.7 vs. 6.2 years, P=0.008), lower mean platelet counts (61.2x10(9)/l vs. 103.7x10(9)/l, P=0.003) and a poorer DFS (% cummulative survival 0 vs. 88.9+/-10.5, P=0.004). TCR-gamma rearrangement in T-ALL was associated with a higher mean WBC count (186.3x10(9)/l vs. 63. 4x10(9)/l, P=0.002). Also, the pattern of rearrangement of these genes appeared to be different from the West; viz. TCR-beta rearrangement in a higher proportion of BCP-ALLs (58%, 95% confidence intervals 45-69%), invariable deletion of Cgamma1 and only monoallelic rearrangement for TCR-delta locus. This repertoire of gene rearrangement may have a bearing on the poor treatment outcome reported previously from our geographic region.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, IRCH Building (1st Floor), AIIMS, 110029, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sazawal
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bhatia
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gurbuxani
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Singh Arya
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Raina
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khattar
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vats
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Magrath
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bhargava
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015322:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000235:genetics; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007194:India; D015459:Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D012106:Research
chemical_list: D007136:Immunoglobulins