Analysis of mutations in the Gs protein alpha subunit gene in human leukaemia

Mutations at codons 201 and 227 that cause oncogenic activation of the gene encoding the Gs alpha subunit protein occur in a subset of human solid tumours. To determine whether such oncogenic mutations occur in leukaemia we have analysed DNA from leukaemic cells from 59 patients representing a spectrum of acute and chronic leukaemia types by direct nucleotide sequence analysis of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified DNA. No mutations were detected at oncogenic hot spots represented by codons 201 or 227, nor in any other codons extending from nucleotide position 196-230 in the Gs alpha subunit gene. This strongly suggests that this region of the Gs alpha gene is highly nonpolymorphic and that oncogenic mutations in this gene are unlikely to play a significant role in the pathogenesis of leukaemia.