Letter: A new consistent chromosomal abnormality in chronic myelogenous leukaemia identified by quinacrine fluorescence and Giemsa staining.
TL;DR: An unsuspected abnormality in all cells from the nine patients with chronic myelogenous leukaemia has been detected with quinacrine fluorescence and various Giemsa staining techniques, suggesting that there may be a hitherto undetected translocation between the long arm of 22 and thelong arm of 9, producing the 9q+ chromosome.
Abstract: CELLS from nine consecutive patients with chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML) have been analysed with quinacrine fluorescence and various Giemsa staining techniques. The Philadelphia (Ph1) chromosome in all nine patients represents a deletion of the long arm of chromosome 22 (22q−)1,2. An unsuspected abnormality in all cells from the nine patients has been detected with these new staining techniques. It consists of the addition of dully fluorescing material to the end of the long arm of one chromosome 9 (9q+). In Giemsa-stained preparations, this material appears as an additional faint terminal band in one chromosome 9. The amount of additional material is approximately equal to the amount missing from the Ph1 (22q−) chromosome, suggesting that there may be a hitherto undetected translocation between the long arm of 22 and the long arm of 9, producing the 9q+ chromosome.
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TL;DR: STI571 is well tolerated and has significant antileukemic activity in patients with CML in whom treatment with interferon alfa had failed and demonstrates the potential for the development of anticancer drugs based on the specific molecular abnormality present in a human cancer.
Abstract: Background BCR-ABL is a constitutively activated tyrosine kinase that causes chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Since tyrosine kinase activity is essential to the transforming function of BCR-ABL, an inhibitor of the kinase could be an effective treatment for CML. Methods We conducted a phase 1, dose-escalating trial of STI571 (formerly known as CGP 57148B), a specific inhibitor of the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase. STI571 was administered orally to 83 patients with CML in the chronic phase in whom treatment with interferon alfa had failed. Patients were successively assigned to 1 of 14 doses ranging from 25 to 1000 mg per day. Results Adverse effects of STI571 were minimal; the most common were nausea, myalgias, edema, and diarrhea. A maximal tolerated dose was not identified. Complete hematologic responses were observed in 53 of 54 patients treated with daily doses of 300 mg or more and typically occurred in the first four weeks of therapy. Of the 54 patients treated with doses of 300 mg or more, cytogenetic res...
5,037 citations
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TL;DR: A compound, designed to inhibit the Abl protein tyrosine kinase, was evaluated for its effects on cells containing the Bcr–Abl fusion protein and it was found that this compound may be useful in the treatment of bcr–abl–positive leukemias.
Abstract: The bcr-abl oncogene, present in 95% of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), has been implicated as the cause of this disease. A compound, designed to inhibit the Abl protein tyrosine kinase, was evaluated for its effects on cells containing the Bcr-Abl fusion protein. Cellular proliferation and tumor formation by Bcr-Abl-expressing cells were specifically inhibited by this compound. In colony-forming assays of peripheral blood or bone marrow from patients with CML, there was a 92-98% decrease in the number of bcr-abl colonies formed but no inhibition of normal colony formation. This compound may be useful in the treatment of bcr-abl-positive leukemias.
3,616 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors used a bioinformatics approach to discover candidate oncogenic chromosomal aberrations on the basis of outlier gene expression and identified recurrent gene fusions of the 5' untranslated region of TMPRSS2 to ERG or ETV1.
Abstract: Recurrent chromosomal rearrangements have not been well characterized in common carcinomas. We used a bioinformatics approach to discover candidate oncogenic chromosomal aberrations on the basis of outlier gene expression. Two ETS transcription factors, ERG and ETV1, were identified as outliers in prostate cancer. We identified recurrent gene fusions of the 5' untranslated region of TMPRSS2 to ERG or ETV1 in prostate cancer tissues with outlier expression. By using fluorescence in situ hybridization, we demonstrated that 23 of 29 prostate cancer samples harbor rearrangements in ERG or ETV1. Cell line experiments suggest that the androgen-responsive promoter elements of TMPRSS2 mediate the overexpression of ETS family members in prostate cancer. These results have implications in the development of carcinomas and the molecular diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.
3,543 citations
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Newcastle University1, University of Chicago2, Novartis3, University of Bologna4, University of Barcelona5, Erasmus University Rotterdam6, University of Mainz7, Heidelberg University8, Royal Adelaide Hospital9, Medical University of Vienna10, Aarhus University11, University of Paris12, University of Bordeaux13, University of British Columbia14, Uppsala University15, University of Basel16, Imperial College London17, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center18, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven19, Oregon Health & Science University20
TL;DR: Imatinib was superior to interferon alfa plus low-dose cytarabine as first-line therapy in newly diagnosed chronic-phase CML and was better tolerated than combination therapy.
Abstract: Background Imatinib, a selective inhibitor of the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase, produces high response rates in patients with chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who have had no response to interferon alfa. We compared the efficacy of imatinib with that of interferon alfa combined with low-dose cytarabine in newly diagnosed chronic-phase CML. Methods We randomly assigned 1106 patients to receive imatinib (553 patients) or interferon alfa plus low-dose cytarabine (553 patients). Crossover to the alternative group was allowed if stringent criteria defining treatment failure or intolerance were met. Patients were evaluated for hematologic and cytogenetic responses, toxic effects, and rates of progression. Results After a median follow-up of 19 months, the estimated rate of a major cytogenetic response (0 to 35 percent of cells in metaphase positive for the Philadelphia chromosome) at 18 months was 87.1 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 84.1 to 90.0) in the imatinib group and 34.7 percent (95 perce...
3,399 citations
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Oregon Health & Science University1, Newcastle University2, Novartis3, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center4, University of Düsseldorf5, Leipzig University6, Cornell University7, National Institutes of Health8, Harvard University9, University of Barcelona10, Heidelberg University11, Wake Forest University12, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai13, University of Paris14, University of Bordeaux15, Erasmus University Rotterdam16, Royal Adelaide Hospital17, Medical University of Vienna18, University of Mainz19, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven20, University of British Columbia21, University of Basel22, Aarhus University23, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center24, Uppsala University25, Mater Health Services26, University of Bologna27, University of Chicago28
TL;DR: After 5 years of follow-up, continuous treatment of chronic-phase CML with imatinib as initial therapy was found to induce durable responses in a high proportion of patients.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The cause of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a constitutively active BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase. Imatinib inhibits this kinase, and in a short-term study was superior to interferon alfa ...
3,351 citations
References
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TL;DR: It seems probable, therefore, that the darker staining with Giemsa of these regions, after denaturation and annealing, indicates the presence of highly repetitive DNA.
Abstract: A GIEMSA staining procedure that preferentially stains centromeric heterochromatin in mouse chromosomes has been described1. This specificity was observed when fixed preparations were treated with sodium hydroxide to denature the DNA, and then incubated in warm saline to allow annealing, in the presence of 3H-labelled single stranded satellite DNA or its complementary RNA. In this way mouse satellite DNA was located in the centromeric heterochromatin1,2. It is known to consist of highly repetitive sequences3 and to anneal much more rapidly than non-repetitive DNA4. It seems probable, therefore, that the darker staining with Giemsa of these regions, after denaturation and annealing, indicates the presence of highly repetitive DNA.
1,140 citations
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TL;DR: This work investigated the possibility of positively identifying male nuclei in interphase by virtue of this staining property of the Y chromosome using quinacrine dihydro-chloride.
Abstract: CASPERSSON et al.1,2 have reported the staining of mitotic chromosomes in various organisms using fluorescent acridine derivatives. According to Zech3, the distal portion of the human Y chromosome fluoresces brightly when stained with quinacrine mustard. Vosa4 has observed similar fluorescence using quinacrine dihydro-chloride, which is more easily obtainable. We therefore investigated the possibility of positively identifying male nuclei in interphase by virtue of this staining property of the Y chromosome.
427 citations
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TL;DR: The development of other chromosomal abnormalities in Ph1 positive patients presaged the terminal stage of the disease.
179 citations
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TL;DR: Chromosomal studies were performed on 61 adult patients with "typical chronic myelocytic leukemia" and the Philadelphia (Ph1) chromosome was found in 43 patients, with equal sex distribution a year after diagnosis.
Abstract: Chromosomal studies were performed on 61 adult patients with "typical chronic myelocytic leukemia. The Philadelphia (Ph1) chromosome was found in 43 patients, with equal sex distribution a...
179 citations