LOCALIZATION OF AMPLIFIED MYC GENE-SEQUENCES TO DOUBLE MINUTE CHROMOSOMES IN ACUTE MYELOGENOUS LEUKEMIA

Cytogenetic and molecular studies were performed on two dmin-bearing a cute myelogenous leukemia (FAB-M2) samples. Both cases were characteri zed by complex karyotypes containing interstitial deletions of the lon g arm of chromosome 8 altering band 8q24.1, aberrations affecting the short arm of chromosome 17, and multiple double minute chromosomes (dm in). Using a 1.4 kb cDNA probe coding for the third exon of the MYC on cogene, DNA slot blots indicated MYC gene sequences were amplified in both samples. Fluorescence in situ hybridization using a 9.0 kb genomi c probe for MYC was performed in one case and localized the amplified MYC gene sequences to the dmin. Neither patient achieved a complete re mission using traditional induction chemotherapy. The complex karyolog y with amplification of MYC gene sequences appears to represent a poor prognostic subgroup of acute myelogenous leukemia. (C) 1994 Wiley-Uss , Inc.