A novel targeted RNA-Seq panel identifies a subset of adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia with BCR-ABL1-like characteristics

Blood Cancer J. 2020 Apr 24;10(4):43. doi: 10.1038/s41408-020-0308-3.

Abstract

BCR-ABL1-like B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL) remains poorly characterized in adults. We sought to establish the frequency and outcome of adolescent and adult BCR-ABL1-like ALL using a novel RNA-Seq signature in a series of patients with BCP-ALL. To this end, we developed and tested an RNA-Seq custom panel of 42 genes related to a BCR-ABL1-like signature in a cohort of 100 patients with BCP-ALL and treated with risk-adapted ALL trials. Mutations related to BCR-ABL1-like ALL were studied in a panel of 33 genes by next-generation sequencing (NGS). Also, CRLF2 overexpression and IKZF1/CDKN2A/B deletions were analyzed. Twenty out of 79 patients (12-84 years) were classified as BCR-ABL1-like (25%) based on heatmap clustering, with significant overexpression of ENAM, IGJ, and CRLF2 (P ≤ 0.001). The BCR-ABL1-like subgroup accounted for 29% of 15-60-year-old patients, with the following molecular characteristics: CRLF2 overexpression (75% of cases), IKZF1 deletions (64%), CDKN2A/B deletions (57%), and JAK2 mutations (57%). Among patients with postinduction negative minimal residual disease, those with the BCR-ABL1-like ALL signature had a higher rate of relapse and lower complete response duration than non-BCR-ABL1-like patients (P = 0.007). Thus, we have identified a new molecular signature of BCR-ABL1-like ALL that correlates with adverse prognosis in adult patients with ALL.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / genetics*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mutation*
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / classification*
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / genetics*
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / pathology
  • Prognosis
  • Sequence Analysis, RNA / methods*
  • Survival Rate
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl