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Analysis of chimerism within specific leukocyte subsets for detection of residual or recurrent leukemia in pediatric patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation

Leukemia volume 15, pages 307–310 (2001)Cite this article

In patients receiving allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) for treatment of malignant hematologic disorders, residual leukemia can be assessed by different methodologic approaches including techniques based on PCR analysis of disease- specific markers, such as gene rearrangements resulting from translocations, or clone-specific markers, such as immunoglobulin or T cell receptor rearrangements. These techniques are very sensitive, but their application is restricted to certain types of leukemia. By contrast, surveillance of residual patient hemopoiesis by PCR analysis of highly polymorphic microsatellite (STR) markers facilitates assessment of disease persistence or recurrence regardless of the underlying type of leukemia. In total leukocyte preparations derived from peripheral blood or bone marrow, the sensitivity of this technique mostly does not permit detection of minor, patient-derived cell fractions if they represent less than 1% of the entire leukocyte sample.12 However, the immunophenotype of the original leukemic clone can be used for fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS)-assisted separation of specific cell populations expected to harbor tumor cells, if present. It is feasible to isolate cell subsets constituting as little as 1% of the entire leukocyte population.3 Specific enrichment of the cell fractions of interest prior to PCR analysis may therefore result in a two-log increase in the sensitivity of identifying potentially malignant cells of patient origin, permitting their detection within a 103–104-fold excess of donor-derived cells.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a grant from the Austrian Research Foundation (P12856-Gen) to T Lion.

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  1. Children's Cancer Research Institute (CCRI), Wien, Austria

    T Lion, H Daxberger, J Dubovsky, P Filipcik, G Fritsch, D Printz, C Peters, S Matthes-Martin, A Lawitschka & H Gadner

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  1. T Lion
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  2. H Daxberger
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Lion, T., Daxberger, H., Dubovsky, J. et al. Analysis of chimerism within specific leukocyte subsets for detection of residual or recurrent leukemia in pediatric patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Leukemia 15, 307–310 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.leu.2402017

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.leu.2402017

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