Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction as an efficient molecular tool for detecting minimal residual disease in Moroccan chronic myeloid leukemia patients.
Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is characterized by BCR-ABL translocation and an increased number and migration of immature myeloid cells into the peripheral blood. The detection limit of the BCR-ABL transcript, particularly after treatment, is controversial. In the present study, we used quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) to monitor BCR-ABL expression in Moroccan CML patients undergoing imatinib treatment, and compared the results with those of conventional PCR and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The aim of this study was to establish a new molecular tool for in vitro diagnosis of CML. In a retrospective comparative analysis, 20 CML Moroccan patients who had received imatinib treatment (N = 20) were analyzed by real-time PCR, conventional RT-PCR, and FISH. Half of the samples analyzed (N = 10) were positive for BCR-ABL gene expression, while the other half (N = 10) were negative according to conventional PCR. Interestingly, 5 of the 10 samples shown to be negative by conventional PCR showed positive expression of the BCR-ABL gene according to RT-qPCR. The RT-qPCR results were confirmed by FISH, which revealed a high concordance (100%) rate. We found that real-time RT-qPCR is more reliable and should be used in Moroccan biomedical analysis laboratories to monitor CML progression, particularly for minimal residual disease, following imatinib treatment.
Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Research Rabat, Morocco.
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Moumen
Laboratory of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Casablanca, Morocco.
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Dehbi
Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Research Rabat, Morocco.
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Kottwitz
Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Research Rabat, Morocco.
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El Amrani
Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Research Rabat, Morocco.
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Bouchoutrouch
Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Research Rabat, Morocco.
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El Hadi
Hematology Department, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, Morocco.
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Quessar
Hematology Department, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, Morocco.
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Benchekroun
Laboratory of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Casablanca, Morocco.
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Nadifi
Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Research Rabat, Morocco h.sefrioui@mascir.com.
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Sefrioui
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate / Q000009:adverse effects; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009018:Morocco; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual / Q000097:blood* / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D057089:Pathology, Molecular; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl