A complex t(1;22;11)(q44;q13;q23) translocation causing MLL-p300 fusion gene in therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia.

The p300 protein shows a striking homology with cyclic-AMP-response-element-binding-protein binding protein (CBP) and both proteins form a family of DNA-binding transcriptional coactivators/histone acetyltransferases. The authors, herein, report a therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia with MLL-p300 fusion gene. Spectral karyotyping clarified that chromosome 11 is involved in complex t(1;22;11)(q44;q13;q23), and is fused to the chromosome 22, and direct sequencing revealed the fusion of exon 8 of MLL and exon 15 of p300 in this case. This is only the second reported case of leukemia with an MLL-p300 fusion gene, and the other case with MLL-p300 was also a therapy-related leukemia. Considering that the MLL-CBP fusion gene is also found almost exclusively in therapy-related leukemia, the association of MLL-p300 and MLL-CBP with therapy-related leukemia rather than de novo leukemia is thereby suggested.