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Real‐time RT‐PCR for the detection and quantification of AML1/MTG8 fusion transcripts in t(8;21)‐positive AML patients
Author(s) -
Krauter Jürgen,
Wattjes Mike Peter,
Nagel Stefan,
Heidenreich Olaf,
Krug Utz,
Kafert Sabine,
Bunjes Donald,
Bergmann Lothar,
Ganser Arnold,
Heil Gerhard
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2141.1999.01674.x
Subject(s) - biology , housekeeping gene , bone marrow , real time polymerase chain reaction , chemotherapy , fusion transcript , medicine , fusion gene , cancer research , oncology , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , gene expression , genetics
AML1/MTG8 was quantified relative to the expression of the GAPDH housekeeping gene by real‐time RT‐PCR in 22 patients with t(8;21)‐positive acute myeloblastic leukaemia (AML) at initial diagnosis and in seven of these patients also during/after chemotherapy and allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Real‐time PCR was able to specifically detect and quantify AML1/MTG8 over a 5 log range. The detection limit for t(8;21)‐positive cells was a dilution of 1:10 5 . The AML1/MTG8 expression varied considerably among the 22 AML patients at intial diagnosis with a ratio AML1/MTG8:GAPDH of 0.5135±0.536 (range 0.1–2.14, median 0.318). In six patients with t(8;21)‐positive AML a marked decline of AML1/MTG8 could be induced by chemotherapy. These patients are in ongoing complete haematological remission (CR) with a constant low‐level AML1/MTG8 expression. In another patient a rapid rise of AML1/MTG8 transcripts could be detected in CR after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation and the patient relapsed 10 weeks later. In conclusion, real‐time RT‐PCR is a suitable approach for the quantification of AML1/MTG8 transcripts in the monitoring of AML patients with t(8;21) during/after chemotherapy and can provide data of prognostic relevance.