[Study on conversion of RARalpha/PML fusion gene in acute promyelocytic leukemia].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the conversion of RARalpha/PML gene in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) patients before and after treatment with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) followed by intensive consolidation chemotherapy (ICC) and allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (allo-BMT).


METHODS
RARalpha/ PML fusion gene was detected in 22 APL patients before and after treatment by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).


RESULTS
RARalpha/PML fusion gene was positive in 75% of the patients after achieving complete remission with ATRA, and turned negative in 83% of the patients after ICC. The durations of conversion to the RT-PCR negative status varied from 1 to 39 months. Ten patients received allo-BMT, and all of them were RARalpha/PML fusion gene negative in 4 months post allo-BMT.


CONCLUSIONS
APL patients could achieve biological remission after ICC and allo-BMT, and the latter seemed to eliminate residual leukemic cells sooner in vivo than the former did.
Liu
Y
Y
Institute of Hematology, Beijing Medical University, Beijing 100034.
Le
X
X
Xue
W
W
Yu
X
X
Guo
N
N
Lu
D
D
Chen
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000235:genetics* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D050596:Oncogene Fusion / Q000235:genetics*; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D000071156:Promyelocytic Leukemia Protein; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid / Q000235:genetics*; D000072482:Retinoic Acid Receptor alpha; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; D000071156:Promyelocytic Leukemia Protein; C000607071:RARA protein, human; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; D000072482:Retinoic Acid Receptor alpha; D014157:Transcription Factors; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; C070576:PML protein, human