[Chromosome aberrations and genes in human and experimental leukemias]

Although determination of chromosomal abnormalities may be of limited usefulness for the diagnosis of leukemia, the recent advances in the molecular mechanism associated with chromosome aberration has been rapid. Chromosome translocation in Burkitt lymphoma and chronic myeloid leukemia was the most striking evidence for the oncogene activation. Other specific chromosome abnormalities for FAB-classified leukemias are also known. Translocated type of chromosome abnormalities between immunoglobulin or T-cell receptor genes and oncogenes may also affect the T and B-cell leukemogenesis. However, the role of trisomies found in human and experimental leukemias and the gene dosages had been thought to be most important until 1982, has not been unclear. Many types of phenotypically heterogeneous leukemias have been reported. t(4 ; 11) acute leukemia is one such leukemia which shows early B-cell and myelomonocytic nature. Heterogeneous leukemias have been called biphenotypic, hybrid and acute mixed leukemias. The terminology must be used the unified. Recent trials to use paraffin-fixed tissues and bone marrow smear for molecular analysis has been successfully reported. Basic analysis on the DNA degradation mechanism revealed the enzymatic activity might play an important role before the complete fixation.