The pattern of clonal immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor (Ig/TCR) gene rearrangements in Chinese adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients.

We have studied forty Chinese adult ALL patients at newly diagnosis, using standard primers and protocols of BIOMED-2 multiplex PCR, to determine the feasibility of Ig and TCR gene rearrangements as diagnostic and patient-specific MRD-RQ-PCR targets for molecular monitoring. Clonal IGH, IGK, IGL, TCRB, TCRG and TCRD rearrangements were found in 86%, 22%, 9%, 19%, 77%, 55% of adult patients with B-lineage ALL, respectively. While in T-ALL, clonal IGH, TCRB, TCRG and TCRD rearrangements were detected in 6%, 83%, 78%, 33% of patients. Several specialties in the pattern of Ig/TCR gene rearrangements in Chinese adult ALL patients in comparison with those reported for children and adult patients in other countries have been noted. These results are useful for further MRD-RQ-PCR detection and quantification for all patients.