BCR-ABL, ETV6-RUNX1 and E2A-PBX1: prevalence of the most common acute lymphoblastic leukemia fusion genes in Mexican patients

Leuk Res. 2008 Oct;32(10):1518-22. doi: 10.1016/j.leukres.2008.03.021. Epub 2008 May 5.

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the frequency of the most common fusion genes in Mexican pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Molecular analysis using RT-PCR was carried out in 53-blood samples: 52 patients with de novo ALL and one with relapsed ALL. The ETV6-RUNX1 fusion was found in 7 cases (13.5%), BCR-ABL fusion was detected in 2 cases (3.8%), and 6 patients (11.5%) expressed the chimeric gene E2A-PBX1. The prevalence of E2A-PBX1 is one of the highest that has been described thus far in childhood ALL. Furthermore, we detected both the BCR-ABL, and E2A-PBX1 fusion in the relapsed patient. With regards to the immunophenotype, ETV6-RUNX1 was expressed in both pre-B and T-cell cases, while the presence of E2A-PBX1 and BCR-ABL was associated with the pre-B ALL phenotype. The prevalence of E2A-PBX1 in Mexican pediatric cases supports the existence of ethnic differences in the frequency of molecular markers of ALL.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit / genetics*
  • ETS Translocation Variant 6 Protein
  • Female
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / genetics*
  • Gene Frequency
  • Homeodomain Proteins / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Mexico
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / genetics*
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / ethnology
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets / genetics*
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics*

Substances

  • Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit
  • Homeodomain Proteins
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets
  • RUNX1 protein, human
  • Repressor Proteins
  • E2A-Pbx1 fusion protein
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl