title: Prevalence of Abelson murine leukemia viral oncogene homolog-breakpoint cluster region fusions and correlation with peripheral blood parameters in chronic myelogenous leukemia patients in Lorestan Province, Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a chronic malignancy of myeloid linage associated with a significant increase in granulocytes in bone marrow and peripheral blood. CML diagnosis is based on detection of Philadelphia chromosome and "Abelson murine leukemia viral oncogene homolog" (ABL)-"breakpoint cluster region protein" fusions (ABL-BCR fusions).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study, patients with CML morphology were studied according to ABL-BCR fusions and the relationship between the fusions and peripheral blood cell changes was examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients suspected to chronic myeloproliferative disorders in Lorestan Province visiting subspecialist hematology clinics who were confirmed by oncologist were studied over a period of 5 years. After completing basic data questionnaire, blood samples were obtained with informed consent from the patients. Blood cell count and morphology were investigated and RNA was extracted from blood samples. cDNA was synthesized from RNA and ABL-BCR fusions including b3a2 and b2a2 (protein 210 kd or p210), e1a2 (protein 190 kdor p190), and e19a2 (protein 230 kdor p230) were studied by multiplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction method. Coexistence of e1a2 and b2a2 (p210/p190) fusions was also studied. The prevalence of mutations and their correlation with the blood parameters were statistically analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 58 patients positive for ABL-BCR fusion, 18 (30.5%) had b2a2 fusion, 37 (62.71%) had b3a2 fusion and three (3.08%) had e1a2 fusion. Coexistence of e1a2 and b2a2 (p210/p190) was not observed. There was no significant correlation between ABL-BCR fusions and white blood cell count, platelet count, and hemoglobin concentration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ABL-BCR fusions in Lorestan Province were similar to other studies in Iran, and b3a2 fusion had the highest prevalence in the studied patients studied.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Khorramabad, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali Asghar
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Kiani
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Khorramabad, Iran.
authors.forename: Farhad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shahsavar
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Khorramabad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mojtaba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gorji
authors.affiliation: Razi Herbal Medicines Research Center, School of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.
authors.forename: Kolsoum
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
authors.affiliation: Razi Herbal Medicines Research Center, School of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.
authors.forename: Vahideh Heydari
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Nazarabad
authors.affiliation: Student Researcher, School of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.
authors.forename: Banafsheh
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bahmani
keywords: Breakpoint cluster region-Abelson murine leukemia viral oncogene homolog positive; chronic; leukemia; myelogenous; peripheral blood