Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound   Target Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound

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Query: EC:2.7.10.2 (focal adhesion kinase)
44,029 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The t(9;22) BCR/ABL fusion is associated with over 90% of chronic myelogenous and 25% of acute lymphocytic leukemia. Chromosome 11q23 translocations in acute myeloid and lymphoid leukemia cells demonstrate myeloid lymphoid leukemia (MLL) fusions with over 40 gene partners, like AF9 and AF4 on chromosomes 9 and 4, respectively. Therapy-related leukemia is associated with the above gene rearrangements following the treatment with topoisomerase II (topo II) inhibitors. BCR, ABL, MLL, AF9 and AF4 have defined patient breakpoint cluster regions. Chromatin structural elements including topo II and DNase I cleavage sites and scaffold attachment sites have previously been shown to closely associate with the MLL and AF9 breakpoint cluster regions, implicating these elements in non-homologous recombination (NHR). In this report, using cell lines and primary cells, chromatin structural elements were analyzed in BCR, ABL and AF4 and, for comparison, in MLL2, which is a homolog to MLL, but not associated with chromosome translocations. Topo II and DNase I cleavage sites associated with all breakpoint cluster regions, whereas SARs associated with ABL and AF4, but not with BCR. No close breakpoint clustering with the topo II/DNase I sites were observed; however, a statistically significant 5' or 3' distribution of patient breakpoints to the topo II DNase I sites was found, implicating DNA repair and exonucleases. Although MLL2 was expressed in all cell lines tested, except for the presence of one DNAse I site in the promoter, no other structural elements were found in MLL2. A NHR model presented demonstrates the importance of chromatin structure in chromosome translocations involved with leukemia.
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PMID:Common chromatin structures at breakpoint cluster regions may lead to chromosomal translocations found in chronic and acute leukemias. 1657 68

Recurring chromosome abnormalities are strongly associated with certain subtypes of leukemia, lymphoma and sarcomas. More recently, their potential involvement in carcinomas, i.e. prostate cancer, has been recognized. They are among the most important factors in determining disease prognosis, and in many cases, identification of these chromosome abnormalities is crucial in selecting appropriate treatment protocols. Chromosome translocations are frequently observed in both de novo and therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). The mechanisms that result in such chromosome translocations in leukemia and other cancers are largely unknown. Genomic breakpoints in all the common chromosome translocations in leukemia, including t(4;11), t(9;11), t(8;21), inv(16), t(15;17), t(12;21), t(1;19) and t(9;22), have been cloned. Genomic breakpoints tend to cluster in certain intronic regions of the relevant genes including MLL, AF4, AF9, AML1, ETO, CBFB, MYHI1, PML, RARA, TEL, E2A, PBX1, BCR and ABL. However, whereas the genomic breakpoints in MLL tend to cluster in the 5' portion of the 8.3 kb breakpoint cluster region (BCR) in de novo and adult patients and in the 3' portion in infant leukemia patients and t-AML patients, those in both the AML1 and ETO genes occur in the same clustered regions in both de novo and t-AML patients. These differences may reflect differences in the mechanisms involved in the formation of the translocations. Specific chromatin structural elements, such as in vivo topoisomerase II (topo II) cleavage sites, DNase I hypersensitive sites and scaffold attachment regions (SARs) have been mapped in the breakpoint regions of the relevant genes. Strong in vivo topo II cleavage sites and DNase I hypersensitive sites often co-localize with each other and also with many of the BCRs in most of these genes, whereas SARs are associated with BCRs in MLL, AF4, AF9, AML1, ETO and ABL, but not in the BCR gene. In addition, the BCRs in MLL, AML1 and ETO have the lowest free energy level for unwinding double strand DNA. Virtually all chromosome translocations in leukemia that have been analyzed to date show no consistent homologous sequences at the breakpoints, whereas a strong non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) repair signature exists at all of these chromosome translocation breakpoint junctions; this includes small deletions and duplications in each breakpoint, and micro-homologies and non-template insertions at genomic junctions of each chromosome translocation. Surprisingly, the size of these deletions and duplications in the same translocation is much larger in de novo leukemia than in therapy-related leukemia. We propose a non-homologous chromosome recombination model as one of the mechanisms that results in chromosome translocations in leukemia. The topo II cleavage sites at open chromatin regions (DNase I hypersensitive sites), SARs or the regions with low energy level are vulnerable to certain genotoxic or other agents and become the initial breakage sites, which are followed by an excision end joining repair process.
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PMID:Chromatin structural elements and chromosomal translocations in leukemia. 1689 85

Nonrandom gene rearrangements have been demonstrated in leukemic cells at diagnosis. These genetic abnormalities are associated with specific types, clinical characteristics, and prognosis of acute leukemia. Common fusion transcripts in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are TEL-AML1, E2A-PBX, MLL-AF4, and BCR-ABL (p190) and in acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL) are AML-ETO, PML-RARA, and CBFB-MYH11. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for detection of each individual fusion transcript is impractical and time consuming. The purpose of this study was to develop simple RT-PCR methods to identify common fusion transcripts of newly diagnosed acute leukemia in children. Total RNA was extracted from bone marrow samples of children diagnosed with acute leukemia. Multiplex RT-PCR panel A (ALL) included primers for TEL-AML1, E2A-PBX, MLL-AF4, and BCR-ABL (p190) whereas panel B (ANLL) composed of primers for AML-ETO, PML-RARA, and CBFB-MYH11. Known leukemic cell lines were used to serve as positive controls. Eighty three children diagnosed with ALL (n = 63) and ANLL (n = 20) were included in this study. Fusion transcripts could be identified using multiplex RT-PCR panel A for ALL and panel B for ANLL in 26/83 (31.3%) cases. In ALL samples, we found TEL-AML1 = 16/63 (25.4%), E2A-PBX = 3/63 (4.8%), MLL-AF4 = 1/63 (1.6%), and BCR-ABL = 1/63 (1.6%). Four cases of AML1-ETO (20%) and one PML-RARA (5%) were found in ANLL samples. In conclusion, our simple multiplex RT-PCR for detection of fusion transcripts in childhood acute leukemia was found to be a rapid, accurate, and effective method.
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PMID:Simple multiplex RT-PCR for identifying common fusion transcripts in childhood acute leukemia. 1866 25

In acute lymphoblastic leukemia, besides age and white cell count at diagnosis, the cytogenetic abnormalities t(9;22)/BCR-ABL and t(4;11)/MLL-AF4 are important prognostic markers and are often included in the treatment stratification of patients with adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Deletions in 9p are seen in about 9% of cases of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia, but their prognostic impact has been controversial. Cytogenetic data from 381 patients diagnosed with B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia were reviewed. Chromosomal analysis was successful in 240 cases. Of these cases, 18 (8%) had abnormalities in 9p and they were compared with patients with normal karyotypes and patients with t(9;22)/BCR-ABL. Patients with abnormalities of chromosome 9 showed significantly shorter overall survival compared with patients with normal karyotypes. In fact, overall survival was similar to that in the poor prognosis t(9;22)/BCR-ABL-positive group. Our data suggest that chromosomal abnormalities involving 9p may have a significant negative impact on survival in adult B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
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PMID:An investigation into whether deletions in 9p reflect prognosis in adult precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a multi-center study of 381 patients. 1872 22

Human ESCs provide an opportunity for modeling human-specific strategies to study the earliest events leading to normal hematopoietic specification versus leukemic transformation. Of interest, are the human childhood acute leukemias harboring specific fusion oncogenes such as MLL-AF4, TEL-AML1 or BCR-ABL wherein clinically significant manifestations arise in utero. The mechanisms of transformation are not amenable to analysis with patient samples and, many mouse models for pediatric leukemias have fallen short in illuminating the human disease because they do not recapitulate key aspects of the actual disease, suggesting that the mouse models are missing essential components of oncogenesis present in the human embryo. Prior to using hESCs as a tentative system for modeling leukemia, robust studies aimed at demonstrating their genetic stability are required; otherwise, cooperating mutations already present could prime hESCs susceptible to transformation. We performed an extensive molecular cytogenetic and cellular in vitro and in vivo analysis which reveals an overall genomic stability of HS181 and HS293 hESCs maintained long-term by mechanical dissociation in human feeders. Importantly, we show for the first time that the genetically stable HS181 hESC line differentiates into CD45+ hematopoietic cells and clonogenic hematopoietic progenitors. This data should encourage stem cell researchers to implement robust cytogenetic tools when assessing hESC genetic stability, in order to detect tiny but relevant biological functional or structural chromosome abnormalities and, paves the way for generating fusion oncogene-expressing transgenic hESCs as a human-specific system for studying the early in utero events leading to normal hematopoietic specification versus childhood leukemic transformation.
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PMID:Genetic stability of human embryonic stem cells: A first-step toward the development of potential hESC-based systems for modeling childhood leukemia. 1893 Mar 18

Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is a heterogenous disease in which oncogene fusion transcripts are known to influence the biological behaviour of the different ALL subtypes. Screening for prognostically important transcripts is an important diagnostic step in treatment stratification and prognostication of affected patients. We describe a SYBR-Green real-time multiplex PCR assay to screen for transcripts TEL-AML1, E2A-PBX1, MLL-AF4, and the two breakpoints of BCR-ABL (p190 and p210). Validation of the assay was based on conventional karyotyping results. This new assay provides a rapid, sensitive, and accurate detection method for prognostically important transcripts in childhood ALL.
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PMID:Rapid detection of prognostically important childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia chimeric transcripts using multiplex SYBR green real-time reverse transcription PCR. 1898 26

MLL translocations in adult B-cell precursor (BCP) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are largely restricted to the immature CD10(-) immunophenotypes. MLL-AF4 is known to be the most frequent fusion transcript, but the exact frequencies of MLL aberrations in CD10(-) adult BCP-ALL are unknown. We present a genetic characterization of 184 BCR-ABL(-) CD10(-) adult ALL cases (156 cyIg(-), 28 cyIg(+)) diagnosed between 2001 and 2007 at the central diagnostic laboratory of the GMALL study group. Patient samples were investigated by RT-PCR for MLL-AF4, MLL-ENL, and MLL-AF9 and by long-distance inverse polymerase chain reaction, thus also allowing the identification of unknown MLL fusion partners at the genomic level. MLL-AF4 was detected in 101 (54.9%) and MLL-ENL in 11 (6.0%) cases. In addition, rare MLL fusion genes were found: 2 MLL-TET1 cases, not previously reported in ALL, 1 MLL-AF9, 1 MLL-PTD, a novel MLL-ACTN4, and an MLL-11q23 fusion. Chromosomal breakpoints were determined in all 118 positive cases, revealing 2 major breakpoint cluster regions in the MLL gene. Characteristic features of MLL(+) patients were significantly lower CD10 expression, expression of the NG2 antigen, a higher white blood count at diagnosis, and female sex. Proposals are made for diagnostic assessment.
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PMID:The MLL recombinome of adult CD10-negative B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia: results from the GMALL study group. 1914 82

In Central America, nearly 70% of pediatric cancer is related to hemato-oncologic disorders, especially acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Preliminary studies have described a high incidence of childhood leukemia in these countries; however, no molecular analyses of these malignancies have yet been carried out. We studied diagnostic samples from 84 patients from the National Children's Hospital in San Jose, Costa Rica (65 precursor B-ALL, 5 T-cell ALL, and 14 acute myeloblastic leukemia). Our methodology included cytogenetic, fluorescent in situ hybridization, and polymerase chain reaction approaches. The observed rate of leukemia was 52.2 cases per million children per year. Twelve out of 65 (18.4%) precursor B-ALL tested positive for TEL-AML1 and 3 cases for BCR-ABL (4.6%). In addition, we detected 2 patients carrying an E2A-PBX1 transcript (3.1%) and 1 patient with an MLL-AF4 fusion gene (1.5%). None of the T-cell ALL cases were positive for either SIL-TAL1 or HOX11L2. Within 14 acute myeloblastic leukemia patients, we confirmed 2 cases with FLT3-internal tandem duplication+, 1 patient with AML1-ETO, and only 1 case carrying a PML-RARalpha rearrangement. The present study confirms the relatively high incidence of pediatric leukemia in Costa Rica and constitutes the first report regarding the incidence of the main molecular alterations of childhood leukemia in our region.
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PMID:Molecular and epidemiologic findings of childhood acute leukemia in Costa Rica. 1919

MLL-AF4 fusion is a hallmark genetic abnormality in infant B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) known to arise in utero. The cellular origin of leukemic fusion genes during human development is difficult to ascertain. The bone marrow (BM) microenvironment plays an important role in the pathogenesis of several hematological malignances. BM mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSC) from 38 children diagnosed with cytogenetically different acute leukemias were screened for leukemic fusion genes. Fusion genes were absent in BM-MSCs of childhood leukemias carrying TEL-AML1, BCR-ABL, AML1-ETO, MLL-AF9, MLL-AF10, MLL-ENL or hyperdiploidy. However, MLL-AF4 was detected and expressed in BM-MSCs from all cases of MLL-AF4(+) B-ALL. Unlike leukemic blasts, MLL-AF4(+) BM-MSCs did not display monoclonal Ig gene rearrangements. Endogenous or ectopic expression of MLL-AF4 exerted no effect on MSC culture homeostasis. These findings suggest that MSCs may be in part tumor-related, highlighting an unrecognized role of the BM milieu on the pathogenesis of MLL-AF4(+) B-ALL. MLL-AF4 itself is not sufficient for MSC transformation and the expression of MLL-AF4 in MSCs is compatible with a mesenchymal phenotype, suggesting a differential impact in the hematopoietic system and mesenchyme. The absence of monoclonal rearrangements in MLL-AF4(+) BM-MSCs precludes the possibility of cellular plasticity or de-differentiation of B-ALL blasts and suggests that MLL-AF4 might arise in a population of prehematopoietic precursors.
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PMID:Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells from infants with MLL-AF4+ acute leukemia harbor and express the MLL-AF4 fusion gene. 1999 53

Overexpression of BAALC is an adverse prognostic factor in adults with cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukemia and T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Here, we analyzed the prognostic significance of BAALC in B-precursor ALL. BAALC MRNA expression was determined in 368 primary adult B-precursor ALL patients enrolled on the 06/99 and 07/03 GMALL trials. Patients were grouped into tertiles according to BAALC expression (T1-T3). Higher BAALC expression (T3 vs T2 vs T1) was associated with higher age (P < .001), a higher white blood cell count (P = .008), CD34 (P = .001), BCR-ABL (P < .001), and MLL-AF4 (P < .001). Higher BAALC expression predicted primary therapy resistance in the overall cohort (P = .002) and in the BCR-ABL(-) and MLL-AF4(-) subgroup (P = .01). In BCR-ABL(-) and MLL-AF4(-) patients, higher BAALC expression was associated with a shorter overall survival (OS; 5-year OS: T3, 38%; T2, 52%; T1, 70%; P = .004) and independently predicted OS in multivariate models (P = .03). Gene-expression profiling revealed an up-regulation of stem cell markers and genes involved in chemoresistance (TSPAN7 and LYN) in the high BAALC group. Thus, high BAALC expression is associated with an immature, chemoresistant leukemic phenotype and identifies patients with inferior OS. Determination of BAALC might contribute to risk assessment of molecularly undefined adult B-precursor ALL.
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PMID:High BAALC expression predicts chemoresistance in adult B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia. 2044 15


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