ABL AND BCR GENES ARE NOT IMPRINTED IN ANDROGENETIC AND GYNOGENETIC HUMAN TISSUES

In the translocation leading to the formation of the Philadelphia chro mosome, the hallmark of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), the translocat ed chromosome 9 (ABL),is of paternal descent whereas chromosome 22 (BC R) is of maternal origin (1). To study possible imprinting of the huma n ABL and BCR genes, we used human tissues exclusively endowed with th eir maternally (benign teratoma) or paternally (complete hydatidiform mole) inherited chromosomes. Using the sensitive PCR technique followe d by northern blotting, we demonstrate here that ABL and BCR are expre ssed to a similar extent in androgenetic and gynogenetic human tissues , thus suggesting that ABL and BCR genes are not imprinted in these hu man tissues. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.