Microsatellite instability in acute myelocytic leukaemia developed from A-bomb survivors.
OBJECTIVE
Genetic alterations, including microsatellite instability (MSI), are ultimate steps toward malignant process. To investigate MSI in A-bomb survivors, leukaemic cells were analysed from 13 acute myelocytic leukaemia patients with a history of radiation exposure and also in 12 de novo patients.


METHODS
To assess the microsatellite changes, a fluorescent system in 10 loci (BAT40, D3S643, D5S107, IRF1, MYC, D9S171, WT1, TP53, DM, D17S855) was used.


RESULTS
MSI analysis revealed a high frequency of multiple microsatellite changes in the exposed patients (84.6%) compared with non-exposed patients (8.3%). There was a significant difference (p < 0.001) between the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
These analyses clearly demonstrate that leukaemic cells from heavily exposed patients contain a number of genetic instabilities that may strongly influence the development of leukaemia among people exposed to the Hiroshima A-bomb radiation.
Nakanishi
M
M
Department of Cancer Cytogenetics, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, Kasumi l-2-3, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan.
Tanaka
K
K
Takahashi
T
T
Kyo
T
T
Dohy
H
H
Fujiwara
M
M
Kamada
N
N
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000528:radiation effects; D002460:Cell Line; D017931:DNA Primers; D005821:Genetic Techniques; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D007953:Leukemia, Radiation-Induced / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000528:radiation effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D009689:Nuclear Warfare; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors
D017931:DNA Primers