title: High molecular weight DNA fragmentation assay: a sensitive method for monitoring in vivo response to antileukemic chemotherapy.
abstract: A large number of antineoplastic agents exert their cytotoxic effects through induction of apoptosis. However, despite the availability of an increasing number of methods to identify apoptosis, attempts to detect apoptosis in clinical samples are rarely successful. Here we report the reliability of the high molecular weight (HMW) DNA fragmentation assay in monitoring the in vivo response of a patient diagnosed with B-CLL to fludarabine (F-ara-A) infusion monotherapy by tracing 50 Kb DNA fragments in his peripheral blood at different time-points before and after infusion. The HMW DNA fragmentation assay proved qualitative and quantitative sensitivity in following the progression of apoptosis in the patient's circulating population of leukemic blasts while, under the same circumstances, conventional cytometric parameters of apoptosis remained negative.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine1, Fukui Medical University, Matsuoka, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Badran
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iwasaki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueda
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008970:Molecular Weight; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D014740:Vidarabine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D014740:Vidarabine; C024352:fludarabine