Chromosome 11 rearrangements in various hematological neoplasias

Chromosome 11 abnormalities in leukemic bone marrow cells were observed in 14.0% of the cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), in 18.7% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cases, and in 16.7% of refractory anemia (RA) cases. Bands 11pl3, 11pl4, 11pl5 on the short arm and 11ql4, 11q21, 11q23 on the long arm of chromosome 11 were involved in these rearrangements. Rearrangements of band 11q23 were detected most often. Reciprocal translocations were found with the highest frequency, while para-and pericentic inversions and deletions, both terminal and interstitial, occurred less often. In RA cases only deletions were observed. Comparison of clinical features showed no correlation with age and major hematological indexes such as the number of blast cells in the initial period. These results show that the prognosis is poor in cases of abnormalities at both 11q21 and 11q23 in acute leukemia (AL) as well as in 11pl3 and 11pl5 in AML. This is the first observation of these phenomena.     

Cytogenetic analysis in 139 Tunisian patients with de novo acute myeloid leukemia

This paper presents the results of a cytogenetic analysis in 139 Tunisian patients with de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML), including 27 children aged 1-15 years and 112 adults. Mean age was 32 (range 1-75) and the M/F ratio was 1.43. Of our patients, 45% had apparently normal karyotypes. Acquired chromosome aberrations were found in 77 (55% ) patients. t(8;21) was identified in 27 patients (19%); t(15;17) in 13 patients (9%); deletion 7q or monosomy 7 in seven patients (5%); +8 in seven patients (5%); abnormal 16 in four patients (3%); 11q23 rearrangements in two patients (2%) and del(5q), in one patient (1%). The remaining 16 patients had miscellaneous clonal abnormalities. Specific translocations associated with the FAB type were found: t(8;21) with AML2 and t(15;17) with AML3. We concluded that our study in a Tunisian population confirmed the relation between some specific abnormalities and the FAB classification. We found a higher incidence for t(8;21) than usually described.     

Phenomenon of evolution of clonal chromosomal abnormalities in childhood acute myeloid leukemia

An analysis of chromosomal abnormalities in bone-marrow cells was performed in 116 children with diagnoses of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The frequency of the evolution of clonal chromosomal abnormalities in AML constituted 42.3%. Quantitative abnormalities of chromosomes 8, 9, and 21, as well as the secondary structural abnormalities in the chromosomal regions 12p12, 9p22, 9q22, 9q34, 11q14–23, and 6q2, were the most abundant. Quantitative abnormalities were registered in 26.7% cases. The basic mechanism of evolution of the leukemic clone contained trisomy, deletions, and monosomy. The frequency of evolution was seven times higher in the age group of up to 2 years and twofold higher in the age group of up to 5 years. The high frequency of evolution at t(15;17)(q22;q22) was established, while its absence was revealed at inv(16)(p13q22). Patients with clonal evolution were characterized by the increased frequency of relapses and earlier death before reaching remission, which might be explained by the severe initial state of those patients. The conception of abnormalities in the evolution of the clone was proposed to occur at certain stages as follows: (1) appearance of balanced rearrangements; (2) trisomy occurrence; (3) loss of chromosomal material. The occurrence of an unbalanced genome during evolution possesses advantages in the clonal proliferate activity and may be related to its response to chemotherapy. An identity in abnormal chromosomal structure was revealed as a result of the comparison of karyotypes during diagnostics and during relapse, which could be evidence of the initial induction of some types of evolution of chromosomal abnormalities in leukemic cells in AML children by the chemical agents.     

Cytogenetic and molecular cytogenetic investigations in relapse of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Сhromosomal abnormalities have been analyzed in bone marrow cells of 61 patients with relapse of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The cytogenetic results have allowed the structural stratification of the obtained karyotypes into ten groups of clones: normal, normal/near tetraploid, abnormal/normal, abnormal/ near tetraploid/normal, evolution of clonal chromosome abnormalities; evolution of clonal chromosome abnormalities/normal, evolution of clonal chromosome abnormalities/near tetraploid/normal, independent clones, independent/normal clones; and independent/near tetraploid/normal clones. The identified structural rearrangements included translocations, deletions, insertions, and duplications; however, deletions with the involvement of bands 17p12, 13q12–q14, 11q14, and 11q23 dominated (63.8%). The application of i-FISH helped to show the presence of one to four abnormalities per karyotype. The identified cytogenetic and molecular cytogenetic rearrangements may signify a multilevel nature of the process underlying the development of resistant karyotypes. The results obtained under both methods have revealed the presence of a heterogenic cell population with possibly different levels of chemotherapy resistance.     

Cytogenetic analysis and clinical significance of chromosome 7 aberrations in acute leukaemia

The analysis was performed on bone marrow cells derived from 96 patients with acute leukaemia (AL): 76 with acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML) and 20 with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Aberrations of chromosome 7 were revealed in 20 (21%) of 96 analysed cases: in 14 (18%) with AML and in six (30%) with ALL. Structural aberrations, present in 13 patients (eight with AML and five with ALL), were unbalanced and led to partial monosomy (12 cases) or trisomy (four cases) of chromosome 7. Twelve (86%) out of 14 AML and all the ALL patients with chromosome 7 aberrations had complex karyotypes in their bone marrow cells. Monosomy 7 and 7q losses were frequently observed in the AML group, whereas, in the ALL group, gains in 7q and losses in the short arms constituted most chromosome 7 aberrations. The occurrence of monosomy, or of losses in 7q, results in a worse response to induction therapy in AML patients. The complete remission (CR) rate was significantly lower in this group in comparison to the group of AML patients with a normal karyotype (p = 0.01) in bone marrow cells.     

Abnormal localization of proto-oncogene c-ets 1 in acute leukemia with translocation t(1: 11)(q21: q23)

The chromosome localization of a 5.4 kb DNA genomic probe of proto-oncogene c-ets 1 has been analysed in an acute monocytic leukemia with t (1; 11) (q21; q23) translocation. The c-ets probe has been translocated onto the rearranged chromosome 1, suggesting the involvement of the proto-oncogene in leukemias with chromosome rearrangements at band 11 q23.     

277例急性髓细胞白血病的细胞遗传学分析

目的：探讨急性髓细胞白血病（AML）染色体异常核型的分布情况、特点及其与预后的关系。方法：选择2009年1月-2012年12月在本院门诊和住院治疗的AML患者277例,采取新鲜骨髓,采用直接法和短期培养制备标本,以R显带技术进行染色体核型分析。结果：除47例无分裂相共检出异常核型122例,异常率为53．04％。结构异常（75例）以t（15;17）（56例）和t（8;21）（19例）常见,1．78％的M2、90．77％的M3、26．79％的M2和1．85％的M5分别有t（7;11）、t（15;17）、t（8;21）和t（11q23）异常,而100％的t（7;11）、100％的t（15;17）、55．56％的t（8;21）、100％的t（8;15）和66．7％的t（11q23）分别见于M2、M3、M2、M5和M4亚型。数I／1异常（28例）以＋8（12例）为常见,100％的＋22见于M4E0。结构和数目同时异常（19例）以t（8;21）伴性染色体丢失（8例）为最常见,100％为M2。核型异常与临床缓解率高度相关,伴t（15;17）易位组、伴t（8;21）易位组预后佳,正常核型组次之,其它异常核型预后较差,复杂核型预后最差。结论：特定的染色体异常与亚型及预后密切相关,染色体核型分析在急性髓细胞白血病诊断、分型、治疗及预后判断中具有十分重要的地位和作用。     

Cytogenetic and FISH findings are complementary in childhood ALL

Primary genetic abnormalities of leukemia cells have important prognostic significance in childhood acute leukemia. In the last two years 30 newly diagnosed or recurrent childhood ALL bone marrow samples were analyzed for chromosomal abnormalities with conventional G-banding and interphase-fluorescence in situ hybridization (I-FISH) using probes to detect BCR/ABL fusions, cryptic TEL/AML1 and MLL rearrangements and p16(9p21) tumor suppressor gene deletions. G-banded karyotype analysis found clonal chromosomal aberrations in 50% of cases. With the use of complementary I-FISH techniques, ALL-specific structural and numerical changes could be identified in 70% of the patients. Nine cases (30%) had subtle chromosomal aberrations with prognostic importance that had not been detected in G-banded analysis. Conventional G-banding yielded additional information (rare and complex structural aberrations) in 19% of patients. The most common aberration (30%) was AML1 copy number increase present in G-banded hyperdiploid karyotype as a chromosome 21 tetrasomy in the majority of cases; one case displayed 5-6 copies and in another case amplification of AML1 gene on der(21) was combined with TEL/AML1 fusion of the homologue AML1 gene and deletion of the remaining TEL allele. High hiperdiploidy was detected in 6 cases, in one patient with normal G-banding karyotype. TEL/AML1 fusion signals were identified in four patients. Deletion of p16 locus was found in eight cases (23%), of which only two had cytogenetically visible rearrangements. G-banding in combination with I-FISH has produced major improvements in the sensitivity and accuracy of cytogenetic analysis of ALL patients and this method helps to achieve a more precise identification of different risk categories in order to choose the optimal treatment.     

Rearrangements of chromosome 9 in different hematological neoplasias

In the present article the frequency of anomalies in chromosome 9 among children with hematological neoplasias amounted to 25/112 in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), 10/83 in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and 3/20 in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). In ALL, deletions are encountered more often than translocations. Deletions are found in both single anomalies and as an element in complex karyotypes. The rearrangements involve the bands 9q34 and 9q22 the most often. The translocation t(9;22)(q34; q11) is encountered in 7.1% of all cases of ALL. In AML, translocation are found more often than deletions. Structural rearrangements most often involved the long arm, at bands 9q22 and 9q34. Deletions, duplications, and translocations were recorded in MDS. No relationship with the initial hematological indicators, including blastosis, were found. The studies attest to different directions of the clinical prognosis in the course of acute leukemia (AL) where there are deletions. Multidrug resistance and the continuing progress of the disease in the course of chemotherapy is found in t(9;22)(q34; q11).     

Chromosomes in myelodysplastic syndrome: structural abnormalities of chromosome 11. Czechoslovak MDS Cooperative Group

In a series of 121 consecutive patients with a myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), studied in two laboratories, of which 87 (71.9%) had abnormal karyotypes, twelve had a structural abnormality of the long arm of chromosome 11 (13.8%). There were six deletions, one ring chromosome and five reciprocal translocations, all involving a chromosome band 11q23. Of these twelve patients, five had a refractory anemia (RA) and seven a refractory anemia with excess of blasts (RAEB). RA was associated more frequently with 11q deletions as the sole abnormality, while translocations or multiple chromosome abnormalities were commonly associated with RAEB. The study shows that the 11q aberrations represent frequent structural chromosome rearrangements in MDS.     

Hematopoietic stem cell expansion and distinct myeloid developmental abnormalities in a murine model of the AML1-ETO translocation

The t(8;21)(q22;q22) translocation, which fuses the ETO gene on human chromosome 8 with the AML1 gene on chromosome 21 (AML1-ETO), is one of the most frequent cytogenetic abnormalities associated with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). It is seen in approximately 12 to 15% of AML cases and is present in about 40% of AML cases with a French-American-British classified M2 phenotype. We have generated a murine model of the t(8;21) translocation by retroviral expression of AML1-ETO in purified hematopoietic stem cells (HSC). Animals reconstituted with AML1-ETO-expressing cells recapitulate the hematopoietic developmental abnormalities seen in the bone marrow of human patients with the t(8;21) translocation. Primitive myeloblasts were increased to approximately 10% of bone marrow by 10 months posttransplant. Consistent with this observation was a 50-fold increase in myeloid colony-forming cells in vitro. Accumulation of late-stage metamyelocytes was also observed in bone marrow along with an increase in immature eosinophilic myelocytes that showed abnormal basophilic granulation. HSC numbers in the bone marrow of 10-month-posttransplant animals were 29-fold greater than in transplant-matched control mice, suggesting that AML1-ETO expression overrides the normal genetic control of HSC pool size. In summary, AMLI-ETO-expressing animals recapitulate many (and perhaps all) of the developmental abnormalities seen in human patients with the t(8;21) translocation, although the animals do not develop leukemia or disseminated disease in peripheral tissues like the liver or spleen. This suggests that the principal contribution of AML1-ETO to acute myeloid leukemia is the inhibition of multiple developmental pathways.     

Cytogenetic and molecular characterization of eight new reciprocal translocations in the pig species. Estimation of their incidence in French populations

Eight new cases of reciprocal translocation in the domestic pig are described. All the rearrangements were highlighted using GTG banding techniques. Chromosome painting experiments were also carried out to confirm the proposed hypotheses and to accurately locate the breakpoints. Three translocations, rcp(4;6)(q21;p14), rcp(2;6)(p17;q27) and rcp(5;17)(p12;q13) were found in boars siring small litters (8.3 and 7.4 piglets born alive per litter, on average, for translocations 2/6 and 5/17, respectively). The remaining five, rcp(5;8)(p12;q21), rcp(15;17)(q24;q21), rcp(7;8)(q24;p21), rcp(5;8)(p11;p23) and rcp(3;15)(q27;q13) were identified in young boars controlled before entering reproduction. A decrease in prolificacy of 22% was estimated for the 3/15 translocation after reproduction of the boar carrier. A parental origin by inheritance of the translocation was established for the (5;8)(p11;p23) translocation. The overall incidence of reciprocal translocations in the French pig populations over the 2000/2001 period was estimated (0.34%).     

Utility of Interphase FISH Panels for Routine Clinical Cytogenetic Evaluation of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Multiple Myeloma

Specific genetic abnormalities are of prognostic significance for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and multiple myeloma (MM); however, routine cytogenetic analysis usually provides normal results. We utilized two probe panels for interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) studies to enhance the ability to detect genetic abnormalities in samples that were referred for routine cytogenetic studies for possible diagnoses of CLL or MM. The CLL panel consisted of probes for 11q22.3 (ATM gene), 13q14 (D13S319), the centromere of chromosome 12 (D12Z3) and 17p13.1 (P53 gene). The MM panel included probes for 14q32 (IgH gene) and/or t(11:14)(q13;q32) (BCL1/IgH), 13q14 (D13S319) and 17p13.1 (P53 gene). FISH detected clonal aberrations not identified by conventional cytogenetics in an additional 8 of 23 (35%) samples referred for possible CLL and 7 of 42 (17%) samples with possible MM. The prognostic significance of the aberrations identified ranged from favorable, to intermediate, to poor. Our studies indicate that many samples referred for routine cytogenetics testing for CLL and MM yield normal results for both conventional and FISH testing, likely due to lack of definitive diagnosis in a percentage of cases. However, FISH is more sensitive for the detection of clinically significant chromosome abnormalities and should be the testing methodology of choice for these disorders.     

人体乳腺癌细胞系Bcap－37和MCF－7的细胞遗传学研究

应用低温同步法与秋水酰胺处理,对人体乳腺癌细胞系Ｂｃａｐ－３７和ＭＣＦ－７的中期及早中期细胞进行Ｇ－显带分析。研究表明,Ｂｃａｐ－３７细胞染色体众数为６３,可识别其结构的标记染色体１７条;ＭＣＦ－７细胞染色体众数为５６,可识别其结构的标记染色体１３条。结合文献报道以及本研究结果显示,乳腺癌中最常涉及到第１、３、５、７、１１、１３和１７号染色体结构及数目的异常,染色体断裂点１ｐ１１（１ｑ１１）、１ｐ１３、３ｐ２１、３ｑ１１、５ｑ１１、６ｑ１３、６ｑ２３、７ｑ２２、１１ｐ１３和１１ｐ１５也经常涉及;它们可能与癌相关基因的激活和抗癌基因的丢失有关,从而在乳腺癌发生发展中起一定作用。     

Promiscuous genes and chromosomal rearrangements of hematopoietic malignancies

The nonrandomness of chromosomal abnormalities of hematopoietic malignancies, which has been established twenty years ago, has evidenced a more or less close relationship between some structural chromosomal abnormalities and leukemia subtypes. The same relation was, then, shown between gene and chromosome rearrangements. It becomes now obvious that genes involved in malignant proliferations may rearrange several different partner genes, as for instance the genes MLL, localised to chromosome band 11q23, and ETV6/TEL to 12p13. The study of these rearrangements is of particular importance in order to improve our knowledge of the functions of rearranged genes as well as their normal counterparts, and to analyse mechanisms favoring the occurrence of chromosomal rearrangements in malignancies.     

Relationship of the human protooncogene CBL2 on 11q23 to the t(4;11), t(11;22), and t(11;14) breakpoints

A probe identifying CBL2, the human cellular homolog of the murine oncogene v-cbl and murine cellular protooncogene Cbl-2, and panels of rodent X human somatic cell hybrids were used to study the relationship of this protooncogene to translocations associated with acute leukemia, lymphoma, and Ewing sarcoma. CBL2 was mapped to 11q23 and found to translocate from chromosome 11 to 4 in an acute leukemia cell line possessing a t(4;11)(q21;q23) and from chromosome 11 to 14 in a B-cell lymphoma with a t(11;14)(q23;q32). In an Ewing sarcoma cell line with a t(11;22)(q23;q12), however, CBL2 remained on chromosome 11. Additional studies of other genes in the region of 11q23 allowed the following ordering of these genes and breakpoints: 11cen--q23--NCAM--CD3(E-D-G)--[t(11;14), t(4;11)]--(THY1, CBL2, ETS1)--t(11;22)--11qter. The gross structure of the CBL2 sequences examined was not altered by either of the flanking breakpoints. Given that the 5' and 3' ends of the CBL2 gene are not known and are probably not evaluated by the v-cbl probe, these results do not rule out the possibility of CBL2 involvement in the pathogenesis of a subset of acute leukemias possessing a t(4;11), B-cell lymphomas possessing a t(11;14), or Ewing sarcomas possessing a t(11;22).     

Cytogenetics and molecular genetics of acute lymphoblastic leukemia

An important factor in the diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is that karyotype is an independent prognostic indicator, with an impact on the choice of treatment. Outcome is related to the number of chromosomes. For example, high hyperdiploidy (51-65 chromosomes) is associated with a good prognosis, whereas patients with near haploidy (23-29 chromosomes) have a poor outcome. The discovery of recurring chromosomal abnormalities in the leukemic blasts of patients with ALL has identified a large number of genes involved in leukemogenesis. Certain specific genetic changes are related to prognosis. The ETV6/AML1 fusion arising from the translocation (t12;21) (p13;q22) has been associated with a good outcome; the BCR/ABL fusion of (t9;22)(q34;q11), rearrangements of the MLL gene, and abnormalities of the short arm of chromosomes 9 involving the tumor suppressor genes p16INK4A have a poor prognosis. Unfortunately, the classification of patients into prognostic groups based on cytogenetics is not always as predicted. Even when other clinically based risk factors are taken into account, some patients with good-risk cytogenetic features will relapse. In the search for new measures of prognosis, it has recently emerged that the level of minimal residual disease following induction therapy can be a reliable predictor of outcome in ALL.     

Telomeric fusion in pre-T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Summary Telomeric fusion, a rare phenomenon, was observed in malignant cells from the peripheral blood of an 18-year-old male with rapidly progressive pre-T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Only two comparable cases, both with B-cell ALL, have been reported with telomeric fusion in neoplasia. All of the leukemic cells examined from our patient had two chromosome abnormalities consisting of partial triplication (trp) of chromosome 2 and a derivative chromosome 3. Approximately a third of the leukemic cells showed in addition telomere-telomere fusions. These involved the telomeric regions of 1p, 2p, 4q, 5q, 7q, 10q, 11q, 12p, 15p, 21p, and Xq and 3p of the derivative (3). The findings in this case suggest that telomeric fusion may function as a mechanism for the development of chromosome rearrangements that may play a role, albeit rarely, in human neoplasia.     

The ETS genes on chromosome 21 are distal to the breakpoint of the acute myelogenous leukemia translocation (8;21)

The definition of the genetic linkage map of human chromosomes may be helpful in the analysis of cancer-specific chromosome abnormalities. In the translocation (8;21)(q22;q22), a nonrandom cytogenetic abnormality of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), we previously observed the transposition of the ETS2 gene located at the 21q22 region from chromosome 21 to chromosome 8. However, no ETS2 rearrangements were detected in the DNA of t(8;21)-positive AML cells. Genetic linkage analysis has allowed us to locate the ETS2 gene relative to other loci and to establish that the breakpoint is at an approximate genetic distance of 17 cM from ETS2. When the information from the linkage map is combined with that from molecular studies, it is apparent that (a) the t(8;21) breakpoint does not affect the ETS2 gene structure or the structure of the other four loci proximal to ETS2: D21S55, D21S57, D21S17, and ERG, and ETS-related gene; and (b) the actual DNA sequence involved in the t(8;21) must reside in a 3-cM genetic region between the D21S58 and the D21S55/D21S57 loci, and remains to be identified.     

Molecular cytogenetic analysis of follicular lymphoma (FL) provides detailed characterization of chromosomal instability associated with the t(14;18)(q32;q21) positive and negative subsets and histologic progression

We analyzed a cohort of 61 follicular lymphomas (FL) with an abnormal G-banded karyotype by spectral karyotyping (SKY) to better define the chromosome instability associated with the t(14;18)(q32;q21) positive and negative subsets of FL and histologic grade. In more than 70% of the patients, SKY provided additional cytogenetic information and up to 40% of the structural abnormalities were revised. The six most frequent breakpoints in both SKY and G-banding analyses were 14q32, 18q21, 3q27, 1q11-q21, 6q11-q15 and 1p36 (15-77%). SKY detected nine additional sites (1p11-p13, 2p11-p13, 6q21, 8q24, 6q21, 9p13, 10q22-q24, 12q11-q13 and 17q11-q21) at an incidence of >10%. In addition to the known recurring translocations, t(14;18)(q32;q21) [70%], t(3;14)(q27;q32) [10%], t(1;14)(q21;q32) [5%] and t(8;14)(q24;q32) [2%] and their variants, 125 non-IG gene translocations were identified of which four were recurrent within this series. In contrast to G-banding analysis, SKY revealed a greater degree of karyotypic instability in the t(14;18) (q32;q21) negative subset compared to the t(14;18)(q32;q21) positive subset. Translocations of 3q27 and gains of chromosome 1 were significantly more frequent in the former subset. SKY also allowed a better definition of chromosomal imbalances, thus 37% of the deletions detected by G-banding were shown to be unbalanced translocations leading to gain of genetic material. The majority of recurring (>10%) imbalances were detected at a greater (2-3 fold) incidence by SKY and several regions were narrowed down, notably at gain 2p13-p21, 2q11-q21, 2q31-q37, 12q12-q15, 17q21-q25 and 18q21. Chromosomal abnormalities among the different histologic grades were consistent with an evolution from low to high grade disease and breaks at 6q11-q15 and 8q24 and gain of 7/7q and 8/8q associated significantly with histologic progression. This study also indicates that in addition to gains and losses, non-IG gene translocations involving 1p11-p13, 1p36, 1q11-q21, 8q24, 9p13, and 17q11-q21 play an important role in the histologic progression of FL with t(14;18)(q32;q21) and t(3q27).