Reconsideration of BCR-ABL protein flow cytometric immunobead assay: how potent to diagnose and monitor chronic myeloid leukemia?

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is typically associated with the Philadelphia chromosome, resulting in the production of BCR-ABL fusion oncoprotein with upregulated tyrosine kinase activity. We aimed to evaluate a new flow cytometric immunobead assay to detect BCR-ABL protein in a group of patients with CML.

METHODS:

We enrolled 49 patients with CML, whose qRT-PCR and/or cytogenetic analysis of Philadelphia chromosome aberration was available, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs)-naïve and (TKIs)-treated patients with various levels of response. Twenty Philadelphia-negative healthy individuals were also enrolled to obtain analytical negative controls. Peripheral blood samples were analyzed for BCR-ABL fusion protein by flow cytometry.

RESULTS:

The BCR-ABL fusion protein flow cytometric assay seemed efficacious to both diagnose the presence (P-value <0.0001) and distinguish the levels (P-value = 0) of the Philadelphia chromosome aberration. Groups of TKI-naïve and TKI-treated patients as well as levels of molecular/cytogenetic response to TKI-therapy were effectively discriminated (P-value <0.01). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis indicated the diagnostic value of the assay as excellent (AUC = 0.95, P-value = 0).

CONCLUSIONS:

The evaluated BCR-ABL fusion protein assay might be useful for diagnosing and monitoring Philadelphia chromosome aberration.

• Authors: R Kelani, F Monem
• Journal: International journal of laboratory hematology (Int J Lab Hematol) Vol. 37 Issue 5 Pg. 723-8 (Oct 2015) ISSN: 1751-553X [Electronic] England
• PMID: 26059167 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Protein Kinase Inhibitors
• Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Antineoplastic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Child
• Female
• Flow Cytometry (methods)
• Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl (genetics, metabolism)
• Humans
• Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive (diagnosis, drug therapy, genetics, metabolism)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Prospective Studies
• Protein Kinase Inhibitors (therapeutic use)
• ROC Curve
• Young Adult