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Childhood acute leukemias are genetically complex disorders, with recurrent or random aberrations found in most patients. Their proper functional characterization is crucial for understanding the role they play in the process of leukemogenesis. We aimed to identify and characterize the genetic background of two leukemic entities. The transient myeloproliferative disorder (TMD) is a preleukemic condition that occurs in 10% of newborns with Down syndrome. Trisomy 21 together with in-utero gained mutations in the GATA1 gene are essential in TMD and represent an ideal "multi-hit" model to study leukemogenesis. We investigated an alternative pathogenic mechanism enabling TMD development in a confirmed absence of trisomy 21. Novel deletions in the GATA1 and JAK1 genes were described as potential drivers of this TMD. The deletion D65_C228 in GATA1 results in the expression of an aberrant isoform, which is predicted to lose transactivation potential and, more importantly, to partially lose the ability of recognizing physiological DNA binding sites, possibly triggering TMD alone. Our thorough characterization of JAK1 F636del questions its role in TMD development. Analysis of JAK/STAT signaling suggested decrease of kinase activity upon F636 loss. Cells harboring the aberrant JAK1 did not obtain cytokine-...

Childhood acute leukemias are genetically complex disorders, with recurrent or random aberrations found in most patients. Their proper functional characterization is crucial for understanding the role they play in the process of leukemogenesis. We aimed to identify and characterize the genetic background of two leukemic entities. The transient myeloproliferative disorder (TMD) is a preleukemic condition that occurs in 10% of newborns with Down syndrome. Trisomy 21 together with in-utero gained mutations in the GATA1 gene are essential in TMD and represent an ideal "multi-hit" model to study leukemogenesis. We investigated an alternative pathogenic mechanism enabling TMD development in a confirmed absence of trisomy 21. Novel deletions in the GATA1 and JAK1 genes were described as potential drivers of this TMD. The deletion D65_C228 in GATA1 results in the expression of an aberrant isoform, which is predicted to lose transactivation potential and, more importantly, to partially lose the ability of recognizing physiological DNA binding sites, possibly triggering TMD alone. Our thorough characterization of JAK1 F636del questions its role in TMD development. Analysis of JAK/STAT signaling suggested decrease of kinase activity upon F636 loss. Cells harboring the aberrant JAK1 did not obtain cytokine-...

A leucemia linfóide aguda (LLA) é caracterizada pelo acúmulo de células imaturas da linhagem linfóide, na medula óssea, sangue periférico e órgãos linfóides, sendo seu pico de incidência por volta dos cinco anos de idade. O prognóstico da LLA é determinado pela idade, imunofenótipo e alterações moleculares sendo que estas últimas são de fundamental importância para a estratificação em grupos de risco. Nesse estudo, realizamos uma análise retrospectiva das características imunofenotípicas e moleculares, de 35 casos de LLA pediátrica, tratados em duas grandes Instituições da cidade de Porto Alegre. Os pacientes foram classificados de acordo com critérios morfológicos, citoquímicos e imunofenotípicos. Em relação ao imunofenótipo, 8,8% dos pacientes foram classificados como LLA pró-B, 67,6% LLAB (B-comum e pré-B) e 23,5% LLA-T. O imunofenótipo Pré-B CD10+ foi o mais comum. A freqüência dos principais genes de fusão de significância prognóstica, realizada por RT-PCR foi de 15% para a t(12;21)/TEL-AML1 (19% entre as LLA de linhagem B); 4% t(4;11)/MLL-AF4, 4% t(1;19)/E2A-PBX1 e 4% t(9;22)/BCR-ABL. Nossos resultados mostram a importância do estudo molecular e sugerem que crianças com LLA tratadas nas Instituições referidas, apresentam as mesmas características biológicas de outras regiões do Brasil e de países desenvolvidos, suportando o uso de protocolos de regimes terapêuticos similares. Assim, o aumento do número de pacientes de alto risco com LLA na infância, parece não estar relacionado a um excesso de anormalidades genéticas desfavoráveis, e sim uma consequência do diagnóstico tardio, como sugerido pelo excesso de casos de hiperleucocitose. Embora a LLA pediátrica apresente um elevado índice de cura, o desafio atual é a busca de melhores testes diagnósticos e novas estratégias terapêuticas, através do conhecimento de genes alvos, permitindo o tratamento individualizado e uma maior sobrevida para o paciente. / The acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is characterized by the accumulation of immature cells of lymphoid lineage in the bone marrow, in the peripheral blood and lymphoid organs, with peak incidence around the age of five. The prognosis of ALL is determined by age, immunophenotype and molecular changes of which the latter have fundamental importance for determining the stratification in risk groups. In this study, we have conducted a retrospective analysis of immunophenotypic and molecular characteristics of 35 cases of pediatric ALL, treated at two major institutions of Porto Alegre city. Patients were classified according to morphological, cytochemical and immunophenotypical. Regarding the immunophenotype, 8.8% of patients were classified as pro-B ALL, 67.6% B-ALL (common B-and pre-B) and 23.5% T-ALL. The Pre-B immunophenotype CD10 + was the most common. The frequency of major fusion genes of prognostic significance performed by RT-PCR was 15% for a t(12;21)/TEL-AML1 (19% between the B-lineage ALL), 4% t (4;11)/MLL-AF4, 4% t(1;19)/E2A-PBX1 and 4% t(9;22)/ BCR-ABL. Our results show the importance of the molecular study and suggest that children with ALL that have been treated in those institutions have the same biological characteristics of the ones from other regions of Brazil and developed countries, what supports the use of similar therapeutic protocols. Thus, the increased number of high-risk patients with childhood ALL appears to be related to an excess of adverse genetic abnormalities, but as consequence of late diagnosis, as suggested by the excess of cases of hyperleucocytosis. Although pediatric ALL has a high cure rate, the current challenge is the search for better diagnostic tests and new therapeutic strategies through the knowledge of target genes enabling the individualized treatment and increased chances for patients to survive.

Plant promoters are the principle cis-acting regulatory sequences responsible for the temporal and spatial expression of genes. One method for isolating plant promoters is based on the ability of a common soil bacterium, <i> Agrobacterium tumefaciens </i>, to transfer a specific segment of DNA (T-DNA) into plant cells. This specific T-DNA has been shown to integrate stably into the recipient plant genome. If the T-DNA contains a promoterless marker gene, then T-DNA integration events occurring adjacent and downstream to a promoter region can be detected by the activation of the marker gene. These T-DNA-mediated gene fusions, consisting of an unknown plant promoter sequence and the coding sequence of a marker gene, can be isolated using the marker gene as a promoter tag. The key objective of this work was to develop a novel, bifunctional selectable marker gene and assess its use as: a selectable marker gene in bacterial and plant transformation systems, and as a promoter tag for T-DNA promoter-tagging studies in dicots. A bifunctional fusion gene was produced between phosphinothricin acetyltransferase and neomycin phosphotransferase (PAT::NPT II), by fusing an NPT II coding sequence to the 3' terminus of the PAT gene. The PAT gene product confers tolerance to a non-selective herbicide L-phosphinothricin (Ignite, Hoechst AG). The neomycin phosphotransferase ('npt II') gene allows for direct selection of transformed cells with the antibiotic, kanamycin. Using an <i>in vivo Escherichia coli </i> selection system, a translational fusion gene between these two reporter genes was achieved. The resulting protein had activities of both parent enzymes. This was demonstrated both in transformed <i>Escherichia coli</i> and in transformed <i>Nicotiana tabacum</i> and <i>Brassica napus</i> plants. Using this bifunctional selectable marker gene, a T-DNA promoter tagging vector, pBAU2, was constructed and its utility was demonstrated in <i>Nicotiana tabacum</i>. One of the <i>N. tabacum</i> promoter tagged events was selected for subsequent promoter isolation studies. The promoter from this regenerant was isolated by screening a Lambda subgenomic library and also by thermal asymmetric interlaced (TAIL-)PCR. The isolated upstream regulatory sequence was fused to a reporter gene, â-glucuronidase ('gus'), and subjected to a preliminary evaluation in <i> Nicotiana tabacum</i> and in <i>Brassica napus</i>.

A leucemia linfóide aguda (LLA) é caracterizada pelo acúmulo de células imaturas da linhagem linfóide, na medula óssea, sangue periférico e órgãos linfóides, sendo seu pico de incidência por volta dos cinco anos de idade. O prognóstico da LLA é determinado pela idade, imunofenótipo e alterações moleculares sendo que estas últimas são de fundamental importância para a estratificação em grupos de risco. Nesse estudo, realizamos uma análise retrospectiva das características imunofenotípicas e moleculares, de 35 casos de LLA pediátrica, tratados em duas grandes Instituições da cidade de Porto Alegre. Os pacientes foram classificados de acordo com critérios morfológicos, citoquímicos e imunofenotípicos. Em relação ao imunofenótipo, 8,8% dos pacientes foram classificados como LLA pró-B, 67,6% LLAB (B-comum e pré-B) e 23,5% LLA-T. O imunofenótipo Pré-B CD10+ foi o mais comum. A freqüência dos principais genes de fusão de significância prognóstica, realizada por RT-PCR foi de 15% para a t(12;21)/TEL-AML1 (19% entre as LLA de linhagem B); 4% t(4;11)/MLL-AF4, 4% t(1;19)/E2A-PBX1 e 4% t(9;22)/BCR-ABL. Nossos resultados mostram a importância do estudo molecular e sugerem que crianças com LLA tratadas nas Instituições referidas, apresentam as mesmas características biológicas de outras regiões do Brasil e de países desenvolvidos, suportando o uso de protocolos de regimes terapêuticos similares. Assim, o aumento do número de pacientes de alto risco com LLA na infância, parece não estar relacionado a um excesso de anormalidades genéticas desfavoráveis, e sim uma consequência do diagnóstico tardio, como sugerido pelo excesso de casos de hiperleucocitose. Embora a LLA pediátrica apresente um elevado índice de cura, o desafio atual é a busca de melhores testes diagnósticos e novas estratégias terapêuticas, através do conhecimento de genes alvos, permitindo o tratamento individualizado e uma maior sobrevida para o paciente. / The acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is characterized by the accumulation of immature cells of lymphoid lineage in the bone marrow, in the peripheral blood and lymphoid organs, with peak incidence around the age of five. The prognosis of ALL is determined by age, immunophenotype and molecular changes of which the latter have fundamental importance for determining the stratification in risk groups. In this study, we have conducted a retrospective analysis of immunophenotypic and molecular characteristics of 35 cases of pediatric ALL, treated at two major institutions of Porto Alegre city. Patients were classified according to morphological, cytochemical and immunophenotypical. Regarding the immunophenotype, 8.8% of patients were classified as pro-B ALL, 67.6% B-ALL (common B-and pre-B) and 23.5% T-ALL. The Pre-B immunophenotype CD10 + was the most common. The frequency of major fusion genes of prognostic significance performed by RT-PCR was 15% for a t(12;21)/TEL-AML1 (19% between the B-lineage ALL), 4% t (4;11)/MLL-AF4, 4% t(1;19)/E2A-PBX1 and 4% t(9;22)/ BCR-ABL. Our results show the importance of the molecular study and suggest that children with ALL that have been treated in those institutions have the same biological characteristics of the ones from other regions of Brazil and developed countries, what supports the use of similar therapeutic protocols. Thus, the increased number of high-risk patients with childhood ALL appears to be related to an excess of adverse genetic abnormalities, but as consequence of late diagnosis, as suggested by the excess of cases of hyperleucocytosis. Although pediatric ALL has a high cure rate, the current challenge is the search for better diagnostic tests and new therapeutic strategies through the knowledge of target genes enabling the individualized treatment and increased chances for patients to survive.

A leucemia linfóide aguda (LLA) é caracterizada pelo acúmulo de células imaturas da linhagem linfóide, na medula óssea, sangue periférico e órgãos linfóides, sendo seu pico de incidência por volta dos cinco anos de idade. O prognóstico da LLA é determinado pela idade, imunofenótipo e alterações moleculares sendo que estas últimas são de fundamental importância para a estratificação em grupos de risco. Nesse estudo, realizamos uma análise retrospectiva das características imunofenotípicas e moleculares, de 35 casos de LLA pediátrica, tratados em duas grandes Instituições da cidade de Porto Alegre. Os pacientes foram classificados de acordo com critérios morfológicos, citoquímicos e imunofenotípicos. Em relação ao imunofenótipo, 8,8% dos pacientes foram classificados como LLA pró-B, 67,6% LLAB (B-comum e pré-B) e 23,5% LLA-T. O imunofenótipo Pré-B CD10+ foi o mais comum. A freqüência dos principais genes de fusão de significância prognóstica, realizada por RT-PCR foi de 15% para a t(12;21)/TEL-AML1 (19% entre as LLA de linhagem B); 4% t(4;11)/MLL-AF4, 4% t(1;19)/E2A-PBX1 e 4% t(9;22)/BCR-ABL. Nossos resultados mostram a importância do estudo molecular e sugerem que crianças com LLA tratadas nas Instituições referidas, apresentam as mesmas características biológicas de outras regiões do Brasil e de países desenvolvidos, suportando o uso de protocolos de regimes terapêuticos similares. Assim, o aumento do número de pacientes de alto risco com LLA na infância, parece não estar relacionado a um excesso de anormalidades genéticas desfavoráveis, e sim uma consequência do diagnóstico tardio, como sugerido pelo excesso de casos de hiperleucocitose. Embora a LLA pediátrica apresente um elevado índice de cura, o desafio atual é a busca de melhores testes diagnósticos e novas estratégias terapêuticas, através do conhecimento de genes alvos, permitindo o tratamento individualizado e uma maior sobrevida para o paciente. / The acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is characterized by the accumulation of immature cells of lymphoid lineage in the bone marrow, in the peripheral blood and lymphoid organs, with peak incidence around the age of five. The prognosis of ALL is determined by age, immunophenotype and molecular changes of which the latter have fundamental importance for determining the stratification in risk groups. In this study, we have conducted a retrospective analysis of immunophenotypic and molecular characteristics of 35 cases of pediatric ALL, treated at two major institutions of Porto Alegre city. Patients were classified according to morphological, cytochemical and immunophenotypical. Regarding the immunophenotype, 8.8% of patients were classified as pro-B ALL, 67.6% B-ALL (common B-and pre-B) and 23.5% T-ALL. The Pre-B immunophenotype CD10 + was the most common. The frequency of major fusion genes of prognostic significance performed by RT-PCR was 15% for a t(12;21)/TEL-AML1 (19% between the B-lineage ALL), 4% t (4;11)/MLL-AF4, 4% t(1;19)/E2A-PBX1 and 4% t(9;22)/ BCR-ABL. Our results show the importance of the molecular study and suggest that children with ALL that have been treated in those institutions have the same biological characteristics of the ones from other regions of Brazil and developed countries, what supports the use of similar therapeutic protocols. Thus, the increased number of high-risk patients with childhood ALL appears to be related to an excess of adverse genetic abnormalities, but as consequence of late diagnosis, as suggested by the excess of cases of hyperleucocytosis. Although pediatric ALL has a high cure rate, the current challenge is the search for better diagnostic tests and new therapeutic strategies through the knowledge of target genes enabling the individualized treatment and increased chances for patients to survive.

Die akute lymphoblastische Leukämie (ALL) ist die häufigste maligne Erkrankung im Kindesalter. Trotz risikoadaptierter Chemotherapie erleiden 25 - 30 % der Kinder mit ALL ein Rezidiv. Im Rezidivfall liegen die Heilungschancen trotz intensivierter Therapie nur bei 35- 40%. In retrospektiven und prospektiven Analysen konnten wir einerseits prognostisch-relevante, genetische Merkmale in den Leukämiezellen von Kindern mit ALL-Rezidiv erstmals identifizieren. Diese leukämiespezifischen Merkmale umfassen sowohl Translokations-assoziierte Fusionsgene (TEL-AML1, BCR-ABL, MLL-Aberrationen, E2A-PBX1), Deletionen von Tumorsuppressorgenen (p15, p16, p18) als auch Mutationen in DNA-Reparaturgenen (NBS1). Zusammen mit der sensitiven molekularen Bestimmung der Kinetik der Leukämiezellreduktion (Reaktion auf die Therapie, (MRD, minimal residual disease)) läßt sich die Prognose der Kinder mit ALL-Rezidiv durch die Verwendung dieser Marker zuverlässiger bewerten. Andererseits zeigen unsere Analysen, dass das Ansprechen auf die Therapie und die Prognose von wirtseigenen Faktoren (medikamenten metabolisierenden Enzyme) und von der Interaktion zwischen Leukämie- und Stromazellen und löslichen Wachstumsfaktoren (Zytokinen) abhängt. Eine adäquatere Behandlung dieser Patientengruppe, die bereits eine intensive Therapie erhalten hat und wesentlich risikoreichere, mit einer hohen Akut- und Spättoxizität behaftete Therapieverfahren einschließt, lässt sich durch die Berücksichtigung dieser Ergebnisse erreichen. Die genetische Typisierung und die sensitive Quantifizierung des molekularen Ansprechens auf die Therapie ergänzen heute die klinischen Determinanten zur Risikostratifizierung der Kinder mit ALL-Rezidiv der derzeitigen Therapieoptimierungsstudie ALL-REZ BFM 2002 (Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster). / Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common malignancy in childhood. Although the prognosis for pediatric ALL with risk-adapted chemotherapy has improved dramatically, 25-30% of the children suffer a relapse. The prognosis for relapsed ALL remains poor (35-40%). In retrospective and prospective studies, we identified prognostic-relevant genetic features in leukemic blasts from children with ALL relapse. These leukemia-specific aberrations include translocation-associated fusion genes (TEL-AML1, BCR-ABL, MLL changes, E2A-PBX1), deletions of tumor suppressor genes (p15, p16, p18) and point mutations in DNA repair genes (NBS1). Together with the sensitive quantitative assessment of the molecular response to therapy (MRD, minimal residual disease), prediction of outcome is now more reliable. Furthermore, response to therapy and, thus, prognosis is significantly dependent on modifying host factors (drug-metabolizing enzymes) and interactions between leukemic and stromal cells as well as soluble growth factors (cytokines). Today, the genetic characterization of leukemic cells as well as the molecular quantification of response to therapy complement prognostic significant clinical determinants allowing a more precise risk stratification of children with ALL relapse in the relapse trial ALL-REZ BFM 2002 of the BFM (Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster) study group.