title: Molecular characterization of FLT3 mutations in acute leukemia patients in Pakistan.
abstract: Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) performs a vital role in the pathogenesis of hematopoietic malignancies. Therefore in recent times, the focus of several studies was on use of FLT3 as a prognostic marker. The present study investigated the molecular characterization and incidence of FLT3 mutations in acute leukemia patients in Pakistan. A total of 55 patients were studied, of which 25 were suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 30 were suffering from acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The polymerase chain reaction demonstrated FLT3/ ITD mutations in 1 (4%) of 25 ALL patients, a male with the L2 subtype. In AML cases the rate was 4 (13.3%) of 30, three males and one female. The AML-M4 subtype was found in three and the AML M2 subtype in the other. In the AML cases, a statistically significant (p=0.009) relationship was found between WBC (109/L) and FLT3/ ITD positivity. However, no significant relationship was found with other clinical parameters (p>0.05). In acute myeloid leukemia (AML) FLT3/ITD+ mutation was more prevalent in elderly patients 31-40 age groups, 21-30 and 51-60 age groups respectively. In acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) statistically no significant relationship was found between clinical features and FLT3/ITD positivity (p>0.05). However, in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) FLT3/ITD+ mutation was more commonly found in age groups of 21-30.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, the University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan. mahmoodrasool@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mariam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishfaq
authors.forename: Arif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.forename: Mariam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Faiz
authors.forename: Ishfaq
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sheikh
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asif
authors.forename: Muhammad Nasrullah
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Muhammad Saeed
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Qureshi
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zahid
authors.forename: Abdul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manan
authors.forename: Mahwish
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arooj
authors.forename: Mahmood Husain
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Qazi
authors.forename: Adeel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chaudhary
authors.forename: Mohammed Hussain
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Alqahtani
authors.forename: Mahmood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rasool
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000235:genetics*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D010154:Pakistan; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult; D051941:fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3 / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D051941:fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3