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RNA-seq is a promising technology to re-sequence protein coding genes for the identification of single nucleotide variants (SNV), while simultaneously obtaining information on structural variations and gene expression perturbations. We asked whether RNA-seq is suitable for the detection of driver mutations in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). These leukemias are caused by a combination of gene fusions, over-expression of transcription factors and cooperative point mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. We analyzed 31 T-ALL patient samples and 18 T-ALL cell lines by high-coverage paired-end RNA-seq. First, we optimized the detection of SNVs in RNA-seq data by comparing the results with exome re-sequencing data. We identified known driver genes with recurrent protein altering variations, as well as several new candidates including H3F3A, PTK2B, and STAT5B. Next, we determined accurate gene expression levels from the RNA-seq data through normalizations and batch effect removal, and used these to classify patients into T-ALL subtypes. Finally, we detected gene fusions, of which several can explain the over-expression of key driver genes such as TLX1, PLAG1, LMO1, or NKX2-1; and others result in novel fusion transcripts encoding activated kinases (SSBP2-FER and TPM3-JAK2) or involving MLLT10. In conclusion, we present novel analysis pipelines for variant calling, variant filtering, and expression normalization on RNA-seq data, and successfully applied these for the detection of translocations, point mutations, INDELs, exon-skipping events, and expression perturbations in T-ALL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary The PRDM16 (1p36) gene is rearranged in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with t(1;3)(p36;q21), sharing characteristics with AML and MDS with MECOM (3q26.2) translocations. We used fluorescence in situ hybridization to study 39 haematological malignancies with translocations involving PRDM16 to assess the precise breakpoint on 1p36 and the identity of the partner locus. Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed in selected cases in order to confirm the partner locus. PRDM16 expression studies were performed on bone marrow samples of patients, normal controls and CD34+ cells using TaqMan real-time quantitative PCR. PRDM16 was rearranged with the RPN1 (3q21) locus in 30 cases and with other loci in nine cases. The diagnosis was AML or MDS in most cases, except for two cases of lymphoid proliferation. We identified novel translocation partners of PRDM16, including the transcription factors ETV6 and IKZF1. Translocations involving PRDM16 lead to its overexpression irrespective of the consequence of the rearrangement (fusion gene or promoter swap). Survival data suggest that patients with AML/MDS and PRDM16 translocations have a poor prognosis despite a simple karyotype and a median age of 65 years. There seems to be an over-representation of late-onset therapy-related myeloid malignancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypereosinophilia is a rare presenting sign of acute lymphocytic leukemia. A 29-year-old male was diagnosed with idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome with respiratory symptoms. Although his peripheral blood eosinophilia decreased in response to treatment with imatinib mesylate, a follow-up bone marrow showed a diffuse infiltrate of myeloperoxidase-negative blasts. He was subsequently diagnosed with CD10 positive precursor B lymphoblastic leukemia. This case underscores the importance of follow-up bone marrow examination in patients who demonstrate imatinib mesylate-responsive eosinophilia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed lineage involvement by NUP98 translocations in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), and T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL). Single cell analysis by FICTION (Fluorescence Immunophenotype and Interphase Cytogenetics as a Tool for Investigation of Neoplasms) showed that, despite diverse partners, i.e. NSD1 , DDX10 , RAP1GDS1 , and LNP1 , NUP98 translocations always affected a CD34+/CD133+ hematopoietic precursor. Interestingly the abnormal clone included myelomonocytes, erythroid cells, B- and T- lymphocytes in MDS/AML and only CD7+/CD3+ cells in T-ALL. The NUP98-RAP1GDS1 affected different hematopoietic lineages in AML and T-ALL. Additional specific genomic events, were identified, namely FLT3 and CEBPA mutations in MDS/AML, and NOTCH1 mutations and MYB duplication in T-ALL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Analysis of the chronic lymphocytic leukemia coding genome: role of NOTCH1 mutational activation" by G. Fabrri, S. Rasi and D. Rossi in April 19, 2012 issue.