ARGYROPHILIC NUCLEAR ORGANIZER REGIONS (AGNORS) IN PEDIATRIC ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC-LEUKEMIA

Nuclear organizer regions (NORs) code for ribosomal RNA and are associ ated with non-histone nucleoproteins which can be identified by silver staining (AgNORs). AgNORs have been correlated to proliferative activ ity of tumors and hence may be prognosis-related. The present study ev aluates the possible prognostic importance of the AgNORs in tumor cell s of patients with pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). A sig nificant increase in AgNOR counts was observed in ALL patients as comp ared to normal controls. Further, a significant positive correlation w as observed between AgNOR counts and total WBC count at diagnosis. A n egative correlation was also observed between AgNOR counts and age of the patients. Logistic regression analysis revealed further correlatio n between AgNOR counts and disease with an odds ratio of 1.29 (P = 0.0 3) as compared to normal controls. These results therefore suggest tha t AgNOR counts may be significant in the evaluation of pediatric ALL.