title: [Clinical significance of detection of AML1/ETO fusion transcripts in childhood AML using real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction].
abstract: This study was aimed to investigate the clinical value of quantification of AML1/ETO fusion transcripts using real-time reverse transcription PCR. Fourteen AML1/ETO positive children out of 52 AML children were selected. A serial dilution of AML1/ETO plasmid was used as a template for the AML1/ETO real-time PCR. AML1/ETO was quantified according to the expression of the GAPDH housekeeping gene at new diagnosis and during/after chemotherapy and transplantation. SPSS statistics was used to analyze the data. The results showed that the ratio of AML1/ETO: GAPDH expression level at new diagnosis varied in the range 0.219-2.080 (median 0.648) among the patients, without relevance with percentage of blasts. The detection sensitivity was up to the dilution of 1:10(5). Six patients showed a slight decline of AML1/ETO (higher than 5 x 10(-2)) at 1 month, three of whom relapsed in the early stage and one later. Five patients had a higher level than 5 x 10(-3) at 3 months, three of whom relapsed. Four patients with always a higher level than 5 x 10(-3) all relapsed in early stage. After six months, four out of them with constant low-level expression (10(-4) - 10(-6)) were in continuous complete hematological remission (CCR). In another patient, a rapid rise of AML1/ETO transcripts could be detected at CR stage and he relapsed 5 months later. The AML1/ETO gene expression leveling off by 10(-5) - 10(-6) could be detected in 3 patients at their complete remission after 9 months. It is concluded that real-time RT-PCR is a suitable approach for quantifying AML1/ETO transcripts in monitoring of AML patients with t(8;21) during/after chemotherapy and provides data of diagnostic relevance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, People Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100044, China. caifengliu24@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Cai-Feng
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Gui-Lan
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Le-Ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yi-Fei
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Ai-Dong
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Kai-Gong
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Yan-Rong
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ya-Zhen
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Qin
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D050676:Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D015973:Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic; D006801:Humans; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000235:genetics*; D000075142:RUNX1 Translocation Partner 1 Protein; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: C107844:AML1-ETO fusion protein, human; D050676:Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; D000075142:RUNX1 Translocation Partner 1 Protein