Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences
Volume 24, Issue 6 , Pages 289-296, June 2008

TEL/AML1 Fusion Gene in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Southern Taiwan

  • Pei-Chin Lin

      Affiliations

    • Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Tai-Tsung Chang

      Affiliations

    • Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Taiwan
    • Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence and reprint requests to: Dr Tai-Tsung Chang, Division of Hematology/ Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, 100 Tzyou 1st Road, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Shiu-Ru Lin

      Affiliations

    • Graduate Institute of Medical Genetics, Kaohsiung Medical University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Shyh-Shin Chiou

      Affiliations

    • Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Taiwan
    • Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Ren-Chin Jang

      Affiliations

    • Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Jiunn-Ming Sheen

      Affiliations

    • Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Received 12 November 2007; accepted 27 March 2008.

Article Outline

Chromosomal abnormalities are found in 80–90% of childhood cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Leukemia-specific chromosome aberrations not only have prognostic value, but also provide important clues for further investigation into leukogenesis, leukemic cell transformation, and proliferation. This study used reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction techniques to detect transcripts of the leukemia-specific chromosome fusion gene, TEL/AML1, and to monitor the expression levels of the TEL-AML1 fusion transcript in ALL patients at sequential intervals during their treatment course. Twenty-five ALL patients were enrolled, including 20 who were newly diagnosed and five in relapse. The incidence of the TEL/AML1 fusion gene in this study was 32%. The clinical features of our eight TEL/AML1-positive ALL cases were similar to those in other studies. Blotting analysis of the levels of the TEL-AML1 fusion transcript was used to detect minimal residual disease. Reduced levels of TEL/AML1 expression were found in four of the six patients whose bone marrow or peripheral blood samples were obtained after treatment. Further investigation with a larger sample size is warranted.

Key Words:  acute lymphoblastic leukemia , polymerase chain reaction , TEL/AML1 fusion gene

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PII: S1607-551X(08)70155-4

doi:10.1016/S1607-551X(08)70155-4

Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences
Volume 24, Issue 6 , Pages 289-296, June 2008

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