M. Osato et al., MYELOMONOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA-CELLS CARRYING THE PEBP2-BETA MYH11 FUSION GENE ARE CD34(+), C-KIT+ IMMATURE CELLS/, British Journal of Haematology, 97(3), 1997, pp. 656-658
To clarify the aspects affected by the PEBP2 beta/MYH11 fusion gene in
volved in the inv(16), we analysed immunophenotypes in myelomonoblasti
c leukaemias. We in found high expressions of CD34 and c-KIT antigens
in myelomonoblastic cells from all patients carrying this fusion gene,
including two with M4 and one CML blastic phase, in contrast to those
with M4 without the fusion gene. These findings indicate that immunop
henotyping is useful for detecting a leukaemia with the fusion gene in
myelomonoblastic leukaemias and that the PEBP2 beta/MYH11 gene is inv
olved in immature cells expressing CD34 and c-KIT antigens.