Specific pattern of protein expression in acute myeloid leukemia harboring FLT3-ITD mutations

Leuk Lymphoma. 2007 Dec;48(12):2418-23. doi: 10.1080/10428190701671036.

Abstract

FLT3 activating mutations can be detected in about 35% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). FLT3 internal tandem duplications (FLT3-ITD) represent the majority of FLT3 mutations (25 - 30%) while FLT3-TKD (tyrosine kinase domain) mutations can be found in about 7% of AML patients. In this study, we addressed the question whether especially primary AML cells carrying FLT3-ITD mutations show differences in terms of their protein expression pattern compared to FLT3 wild-type blasts. We investigated bone marrow samples that were isolated at diagnosis from 36 AML patients expressing either FLT3 wild-type (n = 16) or an activating FLT3 mutation (FLT3-ITD, n = 15; FLT3-TKD, n = 5). Proteomic analysis was performed by means of surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (SELDI-TOF) mass spectrometry which has shown its high efficiency in finding biomarkers in solid tumors. Here, we demonstrate that a large series of proteins is differently expressed in primary AML blasts harboring FLT3-ITD mutations. Furthermore, there are also significant differences of the protein expression profile between FLT3-ITD and FLT3-TKD mutations. Interestingly, further analysis of FLT3-ITD positive AML according to its response to the induction chemotherapy demonstrates putative prognostic markers for this subgroup of AML. We suggest that SELDI-TOF mass spectrometry represents a promising tool of proteomic analysis of AML that might help to establish new prognostic markers in AML.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / genetics*
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / metabolism
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mutation*
  • Neoplasm Proteins / analysis*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
  • Tandem Repeat Sequences*
  • fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3 / genetics*

Substances

  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • FLT3 protein, human
  • fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3