Significance of Lineage-Associated Transcripts of TdT and ETS1 for Detection of Leukemic Cells

One approach for a rational postremission therapy of acute leukemia is based on detection of residual leukemic blasts. Immunophenotyping with monoclonal antibodies, quantitative DNA analysis for aneuploidy, PCR analysis of clonal immunoglobulin and TCR gene rearrangements as well as studies regarding growth of progenitor cells in clonogenic assays are only a selection of approaches for diagnosis of minimal residual disease (MRD) [1–4]. In this study leukemic cells were examined for aberrant transcripts of two differentiation-associated genes, the protooncogene ETS 1 and the gene for the enzyme marker terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT).