title: Resolution of ambiguous low-level positive quantitative polymerase chain reaction results in TEL-AML1 positive ALL using a post-PCR fluorescent oligoligation method.
abstract: The interpretation of low-level or non-reproducible amplification results in clinical quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) assays can be difficult to definitively resolve. Concerning minimal residual disease detection in leukaemia, indeterminate low-level results might create prognostic or therapeutic dilemmas. We evaluated low-level, ambiguous Q-PCR results in a study of paired diagnostic and end-induction (day 29) TEL-AML1 positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia samples utilising a novel fluorescent primer ligation detection assay. The data presented here indicate that a significant number of low-level apparent Q-PCR positive results may be spurious or non-specific in nature, requiring additional technical manoeuvres for confirmation of true positive cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico HSC and Cancer Research and Treatment Center, Albuquerque, NM USA. ichen@salud.unm.edu
authors.forename: I-Ming
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Artemis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chakerian
authors.forename: Meenakshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Devidas
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Borowitz
authors.forename: Stephen P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Hunger
authors.forename: Cheryl L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Willman
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Viswanatha
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D050676:Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit / Q000235:genetics*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000737:chemistry; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006801:Humans; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D000097764:ETS Translocation Variant 6 Protein
chemical_list: D050676:Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit; D017931:DNA Primers; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; C102421:TEL-AML1 fusion protein; D000097764:ETS Translocation Variant 6 Protein