Acute Myeloid Leukemia Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Acute Myeloid Leukemia, including details on aml, symptoms, treatment, information.

IgH and TCRgamma gene rearrangements, cyclin A1 and HOXA9 gene expression in biphenotypic acute leukemias.

Golemović M, Sucić M, Zadro R, Mrsić S, Mikulić M, Labar B, Rajić LJ, Batinić D

Division of Immunology, Clinical Institute of Laboratory Diagnosis, Zagreb University School of Medicine, Zagreb Clinical Hospital Center, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia. mgolemov@inet.hr

In this study we investigated IgH and TCRgamma gene rearrangements, cyclin A1 and HOXA9 gene expression as well as the in vitro growth of biphenotypic acute leukemia (BAL) blasts in relation to acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The aim of the study was to correlate BAL morphology and its biological parameters in order to get information that might be used for additional stratification of BAL. This rare form of AL was identified in a total of 10 patients, comprising 4.3% of adult and 3.0% of pediatric patients with de novo AL referred to our institution during the 1999-2003 period. Our results indicate that IgH and TCRgamma gene rearrangements correlated well with lymphoid BAL morphology, whereas the expression of cyclin A1 correlated with myeloid and undifferentiated BAL morphology. Surprisingly, HOXA9 expression, a marker associated with myeloid cell lineage, showed no strong correlation with BAL morphology. Finally, in vitro growth of blasts during a 7-day culture showed autonomous cell growth in 3/10 AML and 3/8 myeloid BAL samples tested, but not in any of the AL with lymphoid features. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to extend research to a broader spectrum of cell markers.

Published 12 December 2005 in Leuk Res, 30(2): 211-21.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Acute Myeloid Leukemia Research Today. All Rights Reserved.