[Sequential analysis of p210- and p190-bcr-abl by RT-PCR after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for p210/p190-bcr-abl double positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia].

In patients with both p210-bcr-abl (p210) and p190-bcr-abl (p190)-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the number of p190 transcripts is lower than that of p210 transcripts. It is speculated that the p190 transcript occurs as a consequence of alternative splicing or missplicing events in the BCR gene. Four patients with both p210- and p190-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia were studied for expression of p210 and p190 by RT-PCR before and after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. p190 negativity was documented in all four patients, followed by p210 negativity one to two months later in three patients. These results suggest that negativity for p190 indicates an ongoing decrease in the small number of residual leukemic cells. In one patient p190 appeared transiently in spite of prolonged negativity for p210 18 months after bone marrow transplantation. We conclude that analysis of p210 and p190 is useful for following up patients with both p210- and p190-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia.