Molecular and transcriptional characterization of chromosome 17p loss in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Distinct genetic abnormalities such as TP53 deletion at 17p13.1, have been identified as having an adverse prognostic relevance in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). Conventional cytogenetic studies have shown that TP53 deletion in B-CLL is associated predominantly with 17p loss resulting from complex chromosomal rearrangements. We performed genome-wide DNA (SNPs arrays), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and gene expression profiling (GEP) analyses to investigate the significance of 17p loss in a panel of 71 genetically well-characterized B-CLLs in Binet stage A, 18 of which carried a TP53 monoallelic deletion. Combined SNP arrays and FISH approaches showed 17p loss in all of the TP53-deleted cases, with breakpoints scattered along the 17p11.2 region. Mutations in exons 5 to 9 of TP53 were found in 9/12 deleted samples. GEP of 60 B-CLLs, including 7 patients with 17p loss, identified 40 differentially expressed genes in 17p- versus 17p normal samples, 35 of which were down-regulated in 17p- tumors. The majority (30/35) of these transcripts, including putative tumor suppressor genes, mapped to 17p. Overall, these data indicate that, beside TP53 deletion, the concomitant loss of 17p arm may contribute to the strong negative prognostic impact known to be associated with this lesion in B-CLL.

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Fabris S, Mosca L, Todoerti K, Cutrona G, Lionetti M, Intini D, Matis S, Colombo M, Agnelli L, Gentile M, Spriano M, Callea V, Festini G, Molica S, Lambertenghi Deliliers G, Morabito F, Ferrarini M, Neri A