Study On The Relation Between RAS Genes And Childhood Acute Leukemia

Objectives To investigate ras gene expression in childhood acute leukemia and its significance in the treatment and prognosis assessment. Method Applying RT-PCR technique to detect the expression of ras gene (H-ras, N-ras,K-ras) in 36 children with AML and 32 children with ALL, morphology, immunophenotype and karyotype of these patients were also analyzed. Ras gene expression of some patients were followed up. Result Compared with controls, N-ras gene expression and K-ras gene expression were both significantly high hi the children with acute leukemia, especially the N-ras gene expression in the children with AML. The mutation of N-ras gene is most common in AML. Ras gene mutation in childhood AML were mainly found in the following FAB subtype: M2, M, MS. Ras gene expression of two patients with FAB subtype M2 were followed up , high expression of ras gene could be detected at the disease onset and remission stage, which suggest that ras gene is not the only determinant in the development, remission, treatment choice and prognosis assessment of childhood AML. In children with ALL, the rate of being classified as high risk patient is high in those whose ras gene expression was high, and their rate of marrow relapse and out-marrow relapse were alsohigh , which suggest that ras gene may be one factor that affect the development, treatment reaction and prognosis of childhood ALL. Conclusion The abnormal high expression of ras gene in childhood acute leukemia indicate that it maybe play a certain role in the pathogenesis of leukemia and it could afftect treatment reaction and prognosis of childhood acute leukemia . It also could be used as the molecular marker of childhood acute leukemia in the detection of MRD, especially of those children with AML.