Analysis of mRNA transcripts in chronic myeloid leukemia patients

The nature of BCR/ABL hybrid mRNA was analyzed by RT-PCR in cells from 33 p atients (22 males, 11 females) with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). b3a2 mR NA was found in 14 cases, whereas 13 patients had b2a2 mRNA and six had bot h kinds of mRNA, with a predominance of the b3a2 type. The type of mRNA pre sent showed no significant correlation with age, hemoglobin level, number o f leukocytes and platelets, percentage of blasts or basophils or the presen ce of splenomegaly at diagnosis. There was also no correlation with sex or duration of the chronic phase. When these results were combined with those reported by other groups, a significant association (P = 0.029) was observe d for mRNA type vs, sex, with a predominance of men in the groups expressin g b2a2 (2.68:1) and b3a2 (1.33:1). We conclude that the classification of p atients according to mRNA type does not homogenize the clinical and hematol ogical data within groups, where Variance is large, nor does it allow a dif ferentiation between groups.