OBJECTIVE

To obtain insight into the molecular mechanism of acute leukemia in elderly patients in relation to the clinical features of the disease.

METHODS

DNA specimens were obtained from 34 elderly patients with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL), 9 elderly patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 10 healthy blood donors. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) coupled with single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) was performed to detect T cell receptor (TCR) V gamma I-J gamma gene rearrangement.

RESULTS

In the 34 elderly ANLL patients, 47.1% (16/34) were found with TCRV gamma I-J gamma gene rearrangement, showing a higher rate of the rearrangement than in younger ANLL patients (P<0.025). TCRV gamma I-J gamma gene rearrangement was identified in 7 (77.8%) of the 9 elderly patients with ALL, and 3 of the identified cases had oligoclonal/ subclonal rearrangement, suggesting a higher rate of oligoclonal/subclonal rearrangement in elderly ALL patients than in younger ALL patients (P<0.01). None of the blood donors was found with TCRV gamma I-J gamma gene rearrangement. The complete remission rate was lower in the elderly ANLL patient with TCRV gamma I-J gamma gene rearrangement than in those without (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

The detection of TCRV gamma I-J gamma gene rearrangement can be of value in assessing the therapeutic effect and making prognostic prediction in elderly patients with acute leukemia.