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A novel TEL-AML1 fusion transcript involving the pro-apoptotic gene BCL-G in pediatric precursor B acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Leukemia volume 20, page 1294 (2006)Cite this article

The TEL-AML1 fusion transcript, resulting from t(21;21)(p13;q22), is the most frequent molecular abnormality in precursor B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cases.1 The breakpoint region in the TEL gene is typically found in intron 5. Two breakpoints have been described within the AML1 gene. One in intron 1 resulting in the standard TEL-AML1 fusion transcript. The other breakpoint occurs in intron 2 and results in a variant fusion transcript, which is 39 nucleotides shorter and lacks exon 2 of the AML1 gene. In diagnostic RT-PCR tests, the majority of TEL-AML1-positive ALL blasts express the standard transcript. Some patients express the two transcripts, whereas only a minority express the variant (shorter) transcript.2

The leukemic blasts expressing the novel TEL-BCLG-AML1 transcript were isolated from a 6.5-year-old boy diagnosed with precursor B ALL. The patient underwent treatment according to a standard risk chemotherapy protocol for a duration of 2.5 years. At 2 years and 2 months after completion of chemotherapy, a late isolated bone marrow relapse developed. The leukemic blasts at the initial diagnosis of ALL and at the time of relapse harbored a t(12;21) and del(12)(p13) that was detectable by fluorescence in situ hybridization and expressed the same TEL-BCLG-AML1 fusion transcript (Figure 1).

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Figure 1

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, Division of Haematopathology, Molecular Haematopathology Laboratory, Toronto, Canada

    M Abdelhaleem, Q Yi & K Beimnet

  2. Department of Paediatrics Hospital for Sick Children, Division of Haematology & Oncology, Toronto, Canada

    J Hitzler

Authors
  1. M Abdelhaleem
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  2. Q Yi
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  3. K Beimnet
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  4. J Hitzler
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Correspondence to M Abdelhaleem.

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Abdelhaleem, M., Yi, Q., Beimnet, K. et al. A novel TEL-AML1 fusion transcript involving the pro-apoptotic gene BCL-G in pediatric precursor B acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Leukemia 20, 1294 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.leu.2404249

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