title: Increased integrity of circulating cell-free DNA in plasma of patients with acute leukemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased cell-free DNA (cf-DNA) and the integrity of cf-DNA in plasma of patients with cancer has been described. We investigated the clinical utility of cf-DNA in the detection and monitoring of progression of leukemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma samples from 60 patients with acute leukemia were analyzed in comparison to plasma from 30 healthy controls. Plasma DNA was determined by quantitative PCR (qPCR) by amplifying the β-actin gene (ACTB). The DNA integrity index was calculated as the ratio of qPCR results (ACTB384/106). Paired diagnostic/complete remission (CR)/relapse samples from eight of 60 patients were analyzed, and the minimum residual disease (MRD) situations were monitored.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DNA concentrations (median: 8.80 ng/mL, p=0.004) and DNA integrity (median: 0.51, p<0.001) in cancer patients were significantly higher. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve of DNA and DNA integrity were 0.79 and 0.88, respectively. DNA integrity at CR had a distinct reduction and then an increase at relapse. DNA integrity in CR cases was higher than that observed in healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our preliminary data suggest that plasma DNA integrity is increased in acute leukemia and may be a potential biomarker for monitoring MRD. However, more work is needed.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medical Diagnostics, Ministry of Education, Faculty of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yu-Jie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yu-Juan
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Zai-Lin
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hui-Yuan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xian-Chun
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Feng-Xian
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Shi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002474:Cell-Free System; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004247:DNA