title: Flow cytometric detection of minimal residual disease in B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia by using "MRD lite" panel.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Normal B lymphoid precursors that express CD19, CD10, and/or CD34 are highly sensitive to corticosteroids and after two weeks of remission-induction therapy, they form less than 0.01% of the bone marrow population. More than 0.01% of such cells indicate minimal residual disease (MRD). MRD "lite" panel uses only three antibodies, namely CD19, CD10, and CD34 for MRD detection in cases of B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) expressing CD19, CD10, and/or CD34 by flow cytometry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen cases of B-ALL were studied for MRD at Day 19 of remission-induction therapy by employing a simplified MRD detection protocol using a 3-color fluorochrome conjugated antibody panel (CD19, CD10, and CD34) on bone marrow aspirate samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All cases at diagnosis expressed CD19, CD10, and CD34. Of fifteen patients, five (33.33%) were MRD negative with less than 0.01% of mononuclear cells and remaining ten cases (66.66%) were MRD positive, with the level of 0.01% to less than 0.1% cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MRD assay used in this study is a simplified method for detecting MRD at Day 19 of remission-induction therapy for B-lineage ALL. This MRD assay is an effective and useful methodology in cases of B-ALL expressing CD19, CD10, and/or CD34 by flow cytometry.
authors.affiliation: Commandant, 166 Military Hospital, C/o 56 APO, India.
authors.forename: Tathagata
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Dept of Pathology, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune 411040, India.
authors.forename: Venkatesan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Somasundaram
keywords: B-ALL; CD10; CD19; CD34; MRD “lite”