title: TEL/AML1 fusion gene in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in southern Taiwan.
abstract: Chromosomal abnormalities are found in 80-90% of childhood cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Leukemia-specific chromosome aberrations not only have prognostic value, but also provide important clues for further investigation into leukogenesis, leukemic cell transformation, and proliferation. This study used reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction techniques to detect transcripts of the leukemia-specific chromosome fusion gene, TEL/AML1, and to monitor the expression levels of the TEL-AML1 fusion transcript in ALL patients at sequential intervals during their treatment course. Twenty-five ALL patients were enrolled, including 20 who were newly diagnosed and five in relapse. The incidence of the TEL/AML1 fusion gene in this study was 32%. The clinical features of our eight TEL/AML1-positive ALL cases were similar to those in other studies. Blotting analysis of the levels of the TEL-AML1 fusion transcript was used to detect minimal residual disease. Reduced levels of TEL/AML1 expression were found in four of the six patients whose bone marrow or peripheral blood samples were obtained after treatment. Further investigation with a larger sample size is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Pei-Chin
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Tai-Tsung
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Shiu-Ru
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shyh-Shin
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chiou
authors.forename: Ren-Chin
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Jiunn-Ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sheen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D050676:Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D015973:Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007223:Infant; D007621:Karyotyping; D008297:Male; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012008:Recurrence; D013624:Taiwan; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000097764:ETS Translocation Variant 6 Protein
chemical_list: D050676:Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; C102421:TEL-AML1 fusion protein; D000097764:ETS Translocation Variant 6 Protein