[Application of fluorescence in situ hybridization and flow cytometry in the measurement of telomere length in Chinese patients with bone marrow failure syndrome].
OBJECTIVE
To measure the telomere length in patients with bone marrow failure syndrome (BMF) using fluorescence in situ hybridization and flow cytometry (Flow-FISH).


METHODS
Blood samples were collected from 8 patients with BMF. Telomere lengths of mononuclear cells from 8 BMF patients and granulocytes from 3 of these 8 BMF patients (all these 3 patients were suffered from aplastic anemia) were measured using Flow-FISH, and the results were compared with those of normal controls. Telomere lengths were measured by Southern blot in 3 patients, and the results were compared with those obtained from Flow-FISH.


RESULTS
Among these 8 BMF patients, 5 have decreased telomere length in their mononuclear cells. However, different white cell subgroups, specifically mononucleated cells and granulocytes, have different degree of telomere shortening. In 3 BMF patients who underwent both Flow-FISH and Southern blot, 2 patients had consistent measurement results.


CONCLUSIONS
Flow-FISH can be used for the measurement of telomere length in Chinese patients with BMF.
Liu
Bo
B
Department of Hematology, PUMC Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100730, China.
Cui
Wei
W
Han
Bing
B
Wang
Xuan
X
Lin
Jie
J
Zhao
Yong-Qiang
YQ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000741:Anemia, Aplastic; D001855:Bone Marrow Diseases; D000080983:Bone Marrow Failure Disorders; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D006457:Hemoglobinuria, Paroxysmal / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult