IL-1 RECEPTOR ANTAGONIST GENE POLYMORPHISM IN PATIENTS WITH SECONDARYACUTE MYELOID-LEUKEMIA

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) may not only occur as a de novo disease but may evolve from a preceding myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) or may result from therapy for a previous malignancy. These secondary acute m yeloid leukaemias (sAML) possess some common biological and clinical f eatures of the corresponding de novo disorders. The cytokine interleuk in-1 (IL-1) is known to have a role in haematopoiesis, and modulation of its action might contribute to the deregulation of proliferation se en in leukaemia. It has recently been reported that a variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism in the IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL- 1ra) gene is closely associated with the severity of many inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, and may also play a role in the pathogenesis of sAML. We sought to confirm this finding in a large group of patien ts classified as having sAML. We found no differences in either the ge notypic or allele frequencies of the polymorphism studied when compare d with those of normal controls or other haematological disorders. No differences were observed in allele frequencies between younger and ol der patients, or between those patients who had an antecedent myelodys plasia and those who had received prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy. We conclude that the described polymorphism in the IL-1ra gene is not associated with the development of sAML.