Cytogenetic and prognostic analysis in adult patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive and bcr-abl positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia / 中华血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the characteristics of cytogenetic aberration of adults with Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) and/or bcr-abl positive (bcr-abl+) acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), and investigate its influence on patients' outcomes.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Retrospective analysis of 100 adult Ph+ ALL patients from January 1, 1996 to December 31, 2007 was carried out. The type, distribution and frequency of chromosome aberration were summarized, and compared among different subgroups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>1) In all cases, 72 had chromosome aberrations, including 22 with sole Ph chromosome, 44 Ph+ with additional abnormalities, which included double Ph, monosomy 7, monosomy 20, trisomy 8 trisomy 21, 9p deletion and 22 deletion. 2) Patients with pseudodiploid and hyperdiploid had higher WBC count, and inferior outcome with lower rates of overall survival (OS) and relapse free survival (RFS). 3) Ph+ group also had higher WBC counts and inferior outcome with low OS and RFS rates. There was no statistic significance between sole Ph+ group and Ph plus additional aberrations group. 4) Patients with both abnormal and normal metaphase (AN) and with solely abnormal metaphase (AA) had higher WBC count, less frequent P190 occurrence and inferior outcome than those only normal metaphase (NN) group, whereas, there was no difference between AA and AN groups. 5) Double Ph chromosome had a lower frequency of P190 and inferior OS than non-double Ph group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Adults with Ph+ ALL have complicated cytogenetic abnormalities, pseudodiploid and hyperdiploid indicate inferior outcome, and double Ph chromosome may be a unfavorable prognostic factor.</p>

Effect of shRNA targeted to beta-catenin on K562 cell growth / 中国实验血液学杂志

In order to investigate the effect of shRNA targeted to beta-catenin on the growth of K562 cells, plasmid containing beta-catenin specific shRNA sequence was transfected into K562 cells by lipofectamine 2000, and G418 was added to screen the positive cells. Real-time PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression of beta-catenin. Cell growth curve, MTT and colony forming cell assays were used to evaluate the proliferation potential of cells. The results showed that the mRNA level of beta-catenin was reduced significantly in K562 cells transfected into interfering plasmid as compared with control plasmid, while the protein level failed to demonstrate difference by the time of 72 hours after transfection. After long-term culture with G418, the count of positive cells enhanced in control group while no positive cells survived in the interfering group. Colony-forming cell assays revealed that the K562 cells in interfering group formed colonies with very small size and low forming rate, compared with the control group, though the growth curve and MTT failed to illustrate differences. It is concluded that the beta-catenin-specific shRNA mediated by plasmid can effectively knockdown the expression of beta-catenin gene and inhibit the colony-forming ability in K562 cells, it is a potential target for the therapy of CML, even in blast crisis.

The efficacy of thalidomide for multiple myeloma: a clinical analysis of 102 Chinese patients / 中华血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyse the efficacy and safety of thalidomide (Thal) for patients with multiple myeloma (MM).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Effectiveness and adverse events of 102 MM patients treated with thalidomide at a median dosage of 200 mg/d. Thirteen cases were treated with Thal alone (group A), and 105 case with Thal in combination with other therapeutic agents (group B) were retrospectively analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>1) The response rate (RR) (CR + PR) was 65.4% for induction therapy in 52 cases and 45.5% for salvage therapy in 66 cases. RR in group B was higher than that in group A (58.1% versus 23.1/%, P= 0.017), and the non-response/progress (NR) rate was lower (15.2% versus 46.2%, P= 0.015). In group B, the NR rate was lower in 50 cases of newly diagnosed MM than in 55 cases of refractory or relapsed MM (6.0% versus 23.6%, P=0.012). In group B, RR between Thal+VAD or M, regimen (72 cases) and Thal + MP regimen (33 cases) was not statistically significant (62.5% versus 48.5%, P >0.05). 2) The median duration of response maintenance was 15.5 (1.0-58.0) months in 21 cases. 3) Among 97 patients with follow-up data, the estimated median duration of OS was 44 months in a median follow-up duration of 20 months and the accumulative time for use of Thal was 8 months. In univariate analysis,the accumulative duration for use of Thal 6 months, hemoglobin > or = 100 g/L and bone marrow megakaryocytes > 20 per smear were associated with longer OS (P = 0.0014, 0.0101, 0.019, respectively). 4) Multivariate analysis suggested that the accumulative time for use of Thal and bone marrow megakaryocytes > 20 were independent good prognostic factors for OS (P = 0.006, 0.036, respectively). 5) The adverse events of Thal were mostly endurable, the rate of thrombus events was lower than that reported in literature.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Thalidomide alone or combined with chemotherapy is an useful therapy for MM. The accumulative time for use longer than 6 months may improve survival.</p>