Identification of novel markers for monitoring minimal residual disease in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Blood. 2001 Apr 1;97(7):2115-20. doi: 10.1182/blood.v97.7.2115.

Abstract

To identify new markers of minimal residual disease (MRD) in B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), gene expression of leukemic cells obtained from 4 patients with newly diagnosed ALL was compared with that of normal CD19(+)CD10(+) B-cell progenitors obtained from 2 healthy donors. By cDNA array analysis, 334 of 4132 genes studied were expressed 1.5- to 5.8-fold higher in leukemic cells relative to both normal samples; 238 of these genes were also overexpressed in the leukemic cell line RS4;11. Nine genes were selected among the 274 overexpressed in at least 2 leukemic samples, and expression of the encoded proteins was measured by flow cytometry. Two proteins (caldesmon and myeloid nuclear differentiation antigen) were only weakly expressed in leukemic cells despite strong hybridization signals in the array. By contrast, 7 proteins (CD58, creatine kinase B, ninjurin1, Ref1, calpastatin, HDJ-2, and annexin VI) were expressed in B-lineage ALL cells at higher levels than in normal CD19(+)CD10(+) B-cell progenitors (P <.05 in all comparisons). CD58 was chosen for further analysis because of its abundant and prevalent overexpression. An anti-CD58 antibody identified residual leukemic cells (0.01% to 1.13%; median, 0.03%) in 9 of 104 bone marrow samples from children with ALL in clinical remission. MRD estimates by CD58 staining correlated well with those of polymerase chain reaction amplification of immunoglobulin genes. These results indicate that studies of gene expression with cDNA arrays can aid the discovery of leukemia markers. (Blood. 2001;97:2115-2120)

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Annexin A6 / analysis
  • Annexin A6 / genetics
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Bone Marrow / chemistry*
  • Bone Marrow / pathology
  • CD58 Antigens / analysis*
  • CD58 Antigens / genetics
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / analysis
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Carbon-Oxygen Lyases / analysis
  • Carbon-Oxygen Lyases / genetics
  • Carrier Proteins / analysis
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / analysis
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / genetics
  • Cell Lineage
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Creatine Kinase / analysis
  • Creatine Kinase / genetics
  • Creatine Kinase, BB Form
  • DNA, Complementary / genetics
  • DNA-(Apurinic or Apyrimidinic Site) Lyase*
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Gene Expression Profiling* / instrumentation
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic*
  • HSP40 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Heat-Shock Proteins / analysis
  • Heat-Shock Proteins / genetics
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Isoenzymes / analysis
  • Isoenzymes / genetics
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Proteins / analysis*
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm, Residual
  • Nerve Growth Factors / analysis
  • Nerve Growth Factors / genetics
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / blood
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / genetics
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / pathology*
  • Remission Induction
  • Sensitivity and Specificity

Substances

  • Annexin A6
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • CD58 Antigens
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal
  • DNA, Complementary
  • DNAJA1 protein, human
  • HSP40 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Isoenzymes
  • NINJ1 protein, human
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Nerve Growth Factors
  • calpastatin
  • Creatine Kinase
  • Creatine Kinase, BB Form
  • Carbon-Oxygen Lyases
  • APEX1 protein, human
  • DNA-(Apurinic or Apyrimidinic Site) Lyase