Correlation of p210 BCR-ABL transcript variants with clinical, parameters and disease outcome in 45 chronic myeloid leukemia patients.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to search the BCR/ABL 1 fusion gene in 45 chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) Syrian patients using nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and compare our results with those of conventional cytogenetics and molecular cytogenetics methods.


METHODS
45 bone marrow or peripheral blood samples from untreated CML patients in chronic phase (CP) were obtained at diagnosis, and analyzed by nested RT-PCR, conventional cytogenetics and molecular cyto-genetics methods.


RESULTS
45 patients examined were positive for some type of BCR/ABL1 fusion gene rearrangement. Out of 45 studied CML patients, 23 (51.1%) expressed b3a2 fusion transcript, 21 (46.7%) b2a2 transcript, and 1 (2.2%) a rare b2a3 transcript. No patient co-expressed both b3a2/b2a2 types.


CONCLUSIONS
The distribution BCR-ABL1 transcript types found in Syria were similar to that of Indian Far-Eastern, African or European populations and the M-BCR rearrangement types were not dependent on white blood count (WBC), platelet count, hemoglobin level or gender of the patients. Overall, we could show that patients with b3a2 rearrangements were younger than patients with b2a2 transcripts, thus our young patients may have a worse prognosis.
Human Genetics Division, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Atomic Energy Commission of Syria, Damascus, Syria.
Walid
W
Al-Achkar
Faten
F
Moassass
Nagham
N
Youssef
Abdulsamad
A
Wafa
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D001856:Bone Marrow Examination; D005260:Female; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000235:genetics*; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; D010641:Phenotype; D010976:Platelet Count; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013593:Syria
C581634:BCR-ABL1 fusion protein, human; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006454:Hemoglobins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl