DEOXYCYTIDINE KINASE MESSENGER-RNA EXPRESSION IN CHILDHOOD ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC-LEUKEMIA

Initial and relapsed childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemias (ALL) wer e investigated for mutations and expression of deoxycytidine kinase (d CK). dCK mediating toxicity of 1-beta-o-arabinofuranosylcytosine was a nalyzed semiquantitatively by RT-PCR and by single-strand conformation polymorphism. We found that patients with initial ALL experienced mor e frequently a relapse if dCK expression was low or absent. No mutatio ns were found in initial and relapsed ALL.