Alterations of the retinoic acid receptor α (RARα) gene in myeloid and lymphoid malignancies

Abstract

The retinoic acid receptor α (RARα) protein plays a central role in myeloid differentiation, and chromosomal translocations disrupting the RARα gene are implicated in the development of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). To identify haemopoietic malignant disorders which may also be linked to RARα abnormalities, Southern blot analysis was performed in DNA from 153 patients with haematological malignancies other than AML FAB type M3 using RARα CDNA probes. Alterations of RARα were detected in 1/42 myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), 2/24 AML, 3/47 B-chronic lymphocytic leukaemias (B-CLL), 0/40 lymphomas and 0/60 normal individuals. These data strongly suggest that alterations of RARα might predispose for myeloid and lymphoid disorders.