Abstract
The c-kit gene encodes a class III tyrosine kinase receptor. Specific somatic mutations in c-kit have been associated with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and are markers of a poor prognosis in AML. Various methods have been used to detect the c-kit gene mutation; however, the suitability of these methods in the clinical management of AML remains unclear. The current study developed a novel method, using modified hybridization probes and melting curve analysis, for detecting c-kit mutations in exon 17. Dual-labeled self-quenched oligonucleotide probes containing two segments, labeled with carboxyrhodamine or hexachlorofluorescein, were designed to detect sequences around the D816 or N820/N822 mutation hot spots in exon 17 of c-kit. The exon 17 region of c-kit was amplified by polymerase chain reaction using control plasmids carrying wild-type or mutant sequences, or genomic DNA derived from AML patients. Melting curve analysis of the amplification products was performed using a self-quenched probe. The results showed that the detection sensitivity, assayed using mutation-positive control plasmids, was 10% for the N820G mutation and 5% for the six other mutations; N822K(A), N822K(G), D816V, D816Y, D816H and D816F. In addition, c-kit mutations were identified in six of the 12 samples from the core-binding factor (CBF)-AML patients. This demonstrates that the novel method developed in the present study, is simple, rapid, specific and highly sensitive, and may facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of CBF-AML.
Highlights
Chromosomal translocations and gene mutations are common genetic abnormalities observed in leukemia patients [1]
Aberrant c‐kit in t(8;21) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has been reported in the extracellular domain, the juxtamembrane domain and the A‐loop domain with tyrosine kinase activity
Certain previous studies reported that the D816V mutation confers increased tumor growth and antiapoptotic potential compared with mutations in the extracellular or juxtamembrane domains [17,18]
Summary
Chromosomal translocations and gene mutations are common genetic abnormalities observed in leukemia patients [1]. Available hybridization probes [11] only detect mutations around the hot spot at D816 and, frequently used at present, denaturing high‐performance liquid chromatography combined with direct sequencing [12] requires the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products to be post‐processed, which may result in contamination. This method is complex and not applicable for mutation detection in clinical samples. This method is advantageous due to its simplicity combined with its high sensitivity and specificity
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