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Query: UMLS:C0023418 (
leukemia
)
93,477
document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)
Hematopoietic disorders can be used as a suitable tool of additional information on the actual resolving power of comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). Therefore, CGH examination was performed of DNA extracted from 23 acute and 15
chronic myeloproliferative disorders
which had just been analyzed using classical cytogenetic techniques. In nearly all cases CGH analysis was repeated with reversely labeled probes. A Zeiss axioplan microscope was equipped with the ISIS 3 system for photometric evaluation of the CGH data. A main group was selected of 34 cases showing karyotypic mosaics when routinely diagnosed by classical cytogenetics. The grade of mosaicism was basically determined from the classical cytogenetic analysis and was additionally defined examining target anomalies by I-FISH analysis in 28 of the cases. The second group included 23 cases with deletions, and in 1 case another informative genomic imbalance could be analyzed. Every target anomaly irrespective of its type could be detected in all cases with an affected cell population equalling or exceeding about 25%, but in none was it below 23%. This value was the lowest and was found in a case, with CGH-detected 20q deletion. The smallest deletions of two bands on 20q which could visually be detected by CGH were estimated in the range of 5-7 Mb. CGH was also suitable to detect imbalances which were not clearly detected by routine cytogenetics. Reverse labelling, performed in nearly all cases, confirmed the result of the original CGH analysis. These data not only document the readiness and reliability of CGH studies on human
leukemia
, but also further contribute to a clearer definition of the limits of the resolving power of this technique.
...
PMID:Delimiting the use of comparative genomic hybridization in human myeloid neoplastic disorders. 1081 80
Recently, a polymorphic base in exon 13 of the BCR gene (exon b2 of the major breakpoint cluster region) has been identified in the eighth position before the junctional region of BCR-ABL cDNA. Cytosine replaces thymidine; the corresponding triplets are AAT (T allele) and AAC (C allele), respectively, both coding for asparagine. Therefore, this polymorphism has no implication in the primary structure of BCR and BCR-ABL proteins. However, since the alteration is located close to the fusion region it may have a significant influence on the annealing of PCR primers, probes for real time PCR, and antisense oligonucleotides. We have developed a RT-PCR-based screening method to easily identify polymorphic BCR and BCR-ABL alleles in CML patients and normal individuals in order to estimate their frequency. After amplification from cDNA, a melting curve of a specific fluorogenic probe mapping to the 3' end of BCR exon b2 and spanning the polymorphism readily discriminates between normal and polymorphic BCR and BCR-ABL alleles. This reporter probe is 3' labeled with fluorescein and placed next to 5' LC Red640-labeled anchor probes mapping to the 5' ends of BCR exon b3 or ABL exon a2 so that resonance energy transfer occurs when the probes are hybridized (LightCycler technology). T and C alleles were discriminated by a melting temperature difference of the reporter probe of 3.2 K. We have investigated cDNAs derived from leukocytes from seven cell lines and a total of 229 individuals: normal donors, n = 15; BCR-ABL negative
chronic myeloproliferative disorders
, n=30; BCR-ABL negative acute leukemias, n= 11; b2a2BCR-ABL positive CML, n = 93; and b3a2BCR-ABL positive CML, n= 80. The frequency of the C allele was 33.0% in BCR-ABL negative individuals, 30.6% in b2a2BCR-ABL, and 23.8% in b3a2BCR-ABL positive CML. In CML patients, 27.7% of BCR-ABL and 27.2% of BCR alleles had the C allele (NS). In total, 132 of 458 (28.8%) exons b2 of BCR or BCR-ABL alleles demonstrated this polymorphism. We conclude that a thymidine/cytosine replacement occurs frequently in BCR exon b2. Probes for real time quantitative RT-PCR should be designed not to map to the critical region in order to avoid underestimation of the number of BCR-ABL transcripts.
Leukemia
2000 Nov
PMID:Frequent polymorphism in BCR exon b2 identified in BCR-ABL positive and negative individuals using fluorescent hybridization probes. 1106 38
The role of angiogenesis for the progressive growth and metastatic process of tumours is well established. What is not clear, though, is the clinical prognostic significance of the angiogenic factors in malignant haematological diseases. In this study, we have assessed the plasma and serum levels of two major angiogenic factors, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF) in 55 patients affected by
chronic myeloproliferative disorders
(
CMD
). This series included 25 patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET), 10 patients with chronic myelocytic
leukaemia
(CML), 14 patients with polycythemia vera (PV), and 6 patients with primary myelofibrosis (MF), and they were compared to 20 healthy control subjects. In all patients the plasma VEGF concentration was significantly increased to the healthy control group (P < 0.004). The highest concentrations were found in the patients with ET (178.25 +/- 125.22 pg/ml). The VEGF levels were significantly higher in
CMD
patients with vascular complications than those in
CMD
patients without complications (P < 0.01). The b-FGF serum levels also appeared to be significantly higher in almost all the
CMD
patients compared to the control group (P < 0.07). A significant correlation was found between the VEGF levels and the platelet count in the ET patients and the spleen index in the CML patients. VEGF level, in this study, is associated with increased risk of thrombotic complications. There is evidence of increased levels of soluble angiogenic factors in malignant haematological disorders, but their contribution to the progression of diseases is yet unclear.
...
PMID:Soluble angiogenic factors: implications for chronic myeloproliferative disorders. 1189 1
With the exception of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML),
chronic myeloproliferative disorders
(CMPDs) are a heterogeneous spectrum of conditions for which the molecular pathogenesis is not well understood. Most cases have a normal or aneuploid karyotype, but a minority present with a reciprocal translocation that disrupts specific tyrosine kinase genes, most commonly PDGFRB or FGFR1. These translocations result in the production of constitutively active tyrosine kinase fusion proteins that deregulate hemopoiesis in a manner analogous to BCR-ABL. With the advent of targeted signal transduction therapy, an accurate clinical and molecular diagnosis of CMPDs has become increasingly important. Currently, patients with PDGFRB or ABL fusion genes are candidates for treatment with Imatinib (STI571), but it is likely that alternative strategies will be necessary for the treatment of most other patients.
Leukemia
2002 Jul
PMID:Tyrosine kinase fusion genes in chronic myeloproliferative diseases. 1209 44
Factors that influence the choice of anagrelide, hydroxyurea, or interferon-alfa (IFN-alpha) for treatment of essential thrombocythemia include efficacy, toxicity, and cost. Anagrelide has the US Food and Drug Administration's approval to be used for treating patients with thrombocythemia secondary to
chronic myeloproliferative disorders
. In contrast, the use of IFN-alpha and hydroxyurea are considered "off-label." We performed an incremental cost-effectiveness analysis to compare anagrelide, hydroxyurea, and IFN-alpha for treating essential thrombocythemia, in terms of estimated impact on life expectancy. The case used for this analysis was of a 40-year-old man with essential thrombocythemia. Clinical assumptions were based on information obtained from nonrandomized clinical trials, and the economic assumptions were derived from information abstracted from observational studies. Lifelong treatment use of anagrelide versus hydroxyurea would cost approximately $72,000 per additional year of life gained, while the use of IFN-alpha was found to be both more costly and less effective than anagrelide. The results were very sensitive to the risk of
leukemia
caused by hydroxyurea, with an incremental cost-effectiveness of anagrelide compared with hydroxyurea of $156,969 per additional year of life gained if the lifetime
leukemia
risk drops from a baseline of .08 to.05. Given that many commonly used medical interventions cost in the range of $50,000 to $100,000 per year of life gained, and the generally poor outcome associated with treatment-related
leukemia
that can result from hydroxyurea, anagrelide could be considered a therapeutic alternative that is clinically effective at an acceptable cost.
...
PMID:Cost-effectiveness considerations in the treatment of essential thrombocythemia. 1209 55
Pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells have been defined as cells with extensive self-renewal capacity and lympho-hematopoietic differentiation potential. Clonal selection of a stem cell as a first step in the progression to neoplasia can be achieved by an alteration of this self-renewal potency. Our current understanding of the pathogenesis of the myeloproliferative disorders including acute myeloid leukemias,
chronic myeloproliferative disorders
(
CMPD
) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), is based on the assumption that they represent a clonal disorder resulting from transformation of a hematopoietic stem cell. However, when performing methods for determining X-chromosome inactivation in female patients as a clonality marker, a significant minority of the patients with Philadelphia chromosome negative (Ph(-))
CMPD
and MDS exhibit polyclonal proliferation. The implications of these results are not yet clarified and the lack of a proven target cell impairs the understanding of the underlying molecular defect. In this context, altered response to cytokine stimulation in vitro provides indirect information concerning molecular dysregulation. A subset of patients with MPD present with translocations that facilitate molecular investigation and clonality proof. They nearly always result in rearrangements of at least one transcription factor gene. Most of these fusion genes are constitutively active, sending out continuous proliferative and antiapoptotic signals or activate an overlapping set of signalling pathways. The classical example for a balanced translocation is the t(9;22) bcr-abl aberration in chronic myelogeneous
leukemia
. Many other karyotypic abnormalities have also been associated with
CMPD
and MDS and involve deletions of chromosomes 20q, 13q, 1q, 7q and 5q as well as trisomy of 8 and 9. Our increased understanding of the hematopoietic stem cell compartment and the molecular basis of regulation of its self-renewal and differentiation bears a direct impact on our understanding of
leukemia
evolution and progression.
...
PMID:[Hematopoietic stem cells and hematopoietic neoplasias]. 1243 99
Trisomy 8 is the most common chromosomal aberration in myelocytic malignancies, occurring both as a sole change as well as in addition to other abnormalities. In spite of this, next to nothing is known about its pathogenetic importance or its molecular genetic consequences. Possible mechanisms involved in the transformation process include dosage effects of genes mapping to chromosome 8 and presence of specific mutations or cryptic fusion genes on the duplicated chromosome. In the latter case, +8 would be secondary to a cryptic primary rearrangement and not involved in leukemogenesis as such, but rather in tumor evolution. Although hidden genetic changes have been found in some trisomies, for example, mutations in KIT in acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) with +4 and in MET in hereditary papillary kidney carcinoma with trisomy 7, none associated with +8 have so far been discovered. To address this issue, we have investigated a total of 13 cases of AML, myelodysplastic syndromes, and
chronic myeloproliferative disorders
with trisomy 8 as the sole chromosomal anomaly. All cases were studied by combined binary ratio multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and with FISH using locus-specific probes for both arms of chromosome 8, the subtelomeric regions of 8p and 8q, and the
leukemia
-associated genes FGFR1, MOZ, ETO, and MYC. No cryptic changes were detected, thus excluding the possibility of gross genetic rearrangements or aberrations involving these loci on chromosome 8.
...
PMID:Trisomy 8 as the sole chromosomal aberration in myelocytic malignancies: a multicolor and locus-specific fluorescence in situ hybridization study. 1449 2
Transcription factors play a central role in the pathogenesis of acute
leukaemia
. Genes encoding transcription factors are frequently perturbed by chromosome rearrangements. More recently acquired point mutations have been described in a number of important genes for normal haematopoiesis. The stem cell
leukaemia
(SCL) gene encodes a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor and is upregulated by chromosome rearrangements in T-acute lymphoblastic
leukaemia
. SCL function is essential for the development of both primitive and definitive haematopoiesis. We searched for SCL mutations in myeloid leukaemias and
chronic myeloproliferative disorders
. Our data demonstrated that SCL point mutations were rare in acute myeloid leukaemia and myeloproliferative disorders.
...
PMID:Absence of SCL mutations in myeloid malignancies. 1258 Sep 64
The Philadelphia chromosome-negative
chronic myeloproliferative disorders
(
CMPD
), polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET) and chronic idiopathic myelofibrosis (IMF), have overlapping clinical features but exhibit different natural histories and different therapeutic requirements. Phenotypic mimicry amongst these disorders and between them and nonclonal hematopoietic disorders, lack of clonal diagnostic markers, lack of understanding of their molecular basis and paucity of controlled, prospective therapeutic trials have made the diagnosis and management of PV, ET and IMF difficult. In Section I, Dr. Jerry Spivak introduces current clinical controversies involving the
CMPD
, in particular the diagnostic challenges. Two new molecular assays may prove useful in the diagnosis and classification of
CMPD
. In 2000, the overexpression in PV granulocytes of the mRNA for the neutrophil antigen NBI/CD177, a member of the uPAR/Ly6/CD59 family of plasma membrane proteins, was documented. Overexpression of PRV-1 mRNA appeared to be specific for PV since it was not observed in secondary erythrocytosis. At this time, it appears that overexpression of granulocyte PRV-1 in the presence of an elevated red cell mass supports a diagnosis of PV; absence of PRV-1 expression, however, should not be grounds for excluding PV as a diagnostic possibility. Impaired expression of Mpl, the receptor for thrombopoietin, in platelets and megakaryocytes has been first described in PV, but it has also been observed in some patients with ET and IMF. The biologic basis appears to be either alternative splicing of Mpl mRNA or a single nucleotide polymorphism, both of which involve Mpl exon 2 and both of which lead to impaired posttranslational glycosylation and a dominant negative effect on normal Mpl expression. To date, no Mpl DNA structural abnormality or mutation has been identified in PV, ET or IMF. In Section II, Dr. Tiziano Barbui reviews the best clinical evidence for treatment strategy design in PV and ET. Current recommendations for cytoreductive therapy in PV are still largely similar to those at the end of the PVSG era. Phlebotomy to reduce the red cell mass and keep it at a safe level (hematocrit < 45%) remains the cornerstone of treatment. Venesection is an effective and safe therapy and previous concerns about potential side effects, including severe iron deficiency and an increased tendency to thrombosis or myelofibrosis, were erroneous. Many patients require no other therapy for many years. For others, however, poor compliance to phlebotomy or progressive myeloproliferation, as indicated by increasing splenomegaly or very high leukocyte or platelet counts, may call for the introduction of cytoreductive drugs. In ET, the therapeutic trade-off between reducing thrombotic events and increasing the risk of
leukemia
with the use of cytoreductive drugs should be approached by patient risk stratification. Thrombotic deaths seem very rare in low-risk ET subjects and there are no data indicating that fatalities can be prevented by starting cytoreductive drugs early. Therefore, withholding chemotherapy might be justifiable in young, asymptomatic ET patients with a platelet count below 1500000/mm(3) and with no additional risk factors for thrombosis. If cardiovascular risk factors together with ET are identified (smoking, obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia) it is wise to consider platelet-lowering agents on an individual basis. In Section III, Dr. Gianni Tognoni discusses the role of aspirin therapy in PV based on the recently completed European Collaboration on Low-dose Aspirin in Polycythemia Vera (ECLAP) Study, a multi-country, multicenter project aimed at describing the natural history of PV as well as the efficacy of low-dose aspirin. Aspirin treatment lowered the risk of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and non-fatal stroke (relative risk 0.41 [95% CI 0.15-1.15], P =.0912). Total and cardiovascular mortality were also reduced by 46% and 59%, respectively. Major bleedings were slightly increased nonsignificnsignificantly by aspirin (relative risk 1.62, 95% CI 0.27-9.71). In Section IV, Dr. Giovanni Barosi reviews our current understanding of the pathophysiology of IMF and, in particular, the contributions of anomalous megakaryocyte proliferation, neoangiogenesis and abnormal CD34(+) stem cell trafficking to disease pathogenesis. The role of newer therapies, such as low-conditioning stem cell transplantation and thalidomide, is discussed in the context of a general treatment strategy for IMF. The results of a Phase II trial of low-dose thalidomide as a single agent in 63 patients with myelofibrosis with meloid metaplasia (MMM) using a dose-escalation design and an overall low dose of the drug (The European Collaboration on MMM) will be presented. Considering only patients who completed 4 weeks of treatment, 31% had a response: this was mostly due to a beneficial effect of thalidomide on patients with transfusion dependent anemia, 39% of whom abolished transfusions, patients with moderate to severe thrombocytopenia, 28% of whom increased their platelet count by more than 50 x 10(9)/L, and patients with the largest splenomegalies, 42% of whom reduced spleen size of more than 2 cm.
...
PMID:Chronic myeloproliferative disorders. 1463 83
Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) and chronic eosinophilia
leukemia
(CEL) represent the most recent additions to the list of molecularly defined
chronic myeloproliferative disorders
. Beginning with the observation that imatinib mesylate (Gleevec) could elicit rapid and complete hematologic remissions in a proportion of patients with HES, a reverse bedside-to-bench translational research effort led to the discovery of FIP1L1-PDGFRA, a novel fusion gene on chromosome 4q12 whose product is an imatinib-sensitive protein tyrosine kinase. FIP1L1-PDGFRA is the first description of a gain-of-function fusion gene derived from an interstitial chromosomal deletion rather than a reciprocal translocation. Empiric use of imatinib in HES and CEL provides a dramatic example of how the development of targeted therapeutics can provide tremendous insight into the molecular etiology of what appear to be a diverse and otherwise indecipherable collection of diseases. In this review, we discuss the role of imatinib in HES/CEL and other malignancies characterized by constitutively activated tyrosine kinases, and examine molecular features of the FIP1L1-PDGFRA fusion.
...
PMID:Targeted treatment of hypereosinophilic syndromes and chronic eosinophilic leukemias with imatinib mesylate. 1530 31
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