Sun T, Takatsuki H, Yamashita S, Yufu Y, Umemura T, Nishimura J, Nawata H
Institute of Hematology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin.
Fukuoka Igaku Zasshi. 1994 Feb;85(2):52-6.
The PML/RAR alpha fusion gene resulting from the t (15;17) translocation is a specific marker for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). We examined bone marrow cells by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect residual PML/RAR alpha mRNA-containing cells following treatment with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and cytotoxic chemotherapy in a patient with APL. This RT-PCR assay can detect one leukemic cell in 10(2) normal cells in vitro. We show that PML/RAR alpha mRNA was still detectable despite clinical remission following ATRA treatment, but undetectable following consolidation with chemotherapy. These data show that this technique is useful for the identification of minimal residual disease in patients with APL and that cytotoxic chemotherapy following ATRA therapy is required for the elimination of APL cells.
由t(15;17)易位产生的早幼粒细胞白血病/维甲酸受体α（PML/RARα）融合基因是急性早幼粒细胞白血病（APL）的特异性标志物。我们通过逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）检测一名APL患者在接受全反式维甲酸（ATRA）和细胞毒性化疗后骨髓细胞中残留的含PML/RARα mRNA的细胞。这种RT-PCR检测方法在体外可在10²个正常细胞中检测到一个白血病细胞。我们发现，尽管经ATRA治疗后临床缓解，但仍可检测到PML/RARα mRNA，而在化疗巩固治疗后则检测不到。这些数据表明，该技术可用于识别APL患者的微小残留病，且ATRA治疗后需要进行细胞毒性化疗以清除APL细胞。
