A chromosomal alteration that fuses the P2RY8 and CRLF2 genes is found in individuals with B-progenitor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and ALL associated with Down syndrome (DS), according to a new study published online in Nature Genetics.
ALL is the most common childhood cancer, with a cure rate of 85% in children. Children with DS are approximately 10-20 times more likely to develop leukemia than non-DS children. Charles Mullighan and colleagues report that a recurrent chromosomal deletion that leads to the P2RY8-CRLF2 fusion is found in 7% of individuals with B-progenitor ALL and 53% of individuals with Down syndrome-associated ALL. The fusion leads to elevated activity of the CRLF2 gene, which may contribute to the increased risk of ALL in children with DS. Author Contact: Charles G. Mullighan (St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA)
E-mail: charles.mullighan@stjude.org Abstract available online. (C) Nature Genetics press release.
Message posted by: Trevor M. D'Souza
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