ackground : Detection of the immunoglobulin (Ig) and the T cell receptor(TcR) gene
rearrangements are useful markers for determining lineage and clonality in lymphoid
malignancy. Antigen receptor gene rearrangements hve also found in some patients with
acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The significance of these rearrangements remains unclear.
Methods : Ig heavy chain (IgH) gene and TcR beta chain (TcRbeta) gene rearrangements
were examined in leukemic cells from 25 patients with AML by Southern blot analysis.
DNA was extracted from bone marrow aspirates. Three different enzymes (EcoRI, BamHI,
HindIII) and two different probes(JH, Cbeta) were used.
Results ;
1) RcRbeta gene rearrangements ere demonstrated in 2 of 25 cases (8%). But IgH gene
rearrangement was not detected at all.
2) Antigen receptor gene rearrangement pattern of three cases with B cell antigen, CD19
(+) and two cases with T cell antigen, Cd2 (+) were germline, Imuunophenotyping was not
performed in two cases with TcRbeta gene rearrangement.
3) Of the patients with TcRbega gene rearrangement, one is alive in complete remission
state after chemotherapy, and the other patient died before therapy.
Conclusion : TcRbeta geno rearrangement was demonstrated in some patients with AML.
Antigen receptor gen rearrangement did not correlate with specific immunophenotype and
prognosis. The clinical implication of antigen receptor gene rearrangement study need further
study.
|