The Recent Thymic Output Function Might Relate with BCR-ABL mRNA Level in Patients with CML.

Objective In order to analyze the relationship between the content of T-cell receptor excision DNA circles (TRECs) and BCR-ABL mRNA levels, evaluating the prognostic significance of thymic recent output function monitoring in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).

Methods Quantitative detection of TRECs and BCR-ABL fusion gene transcripts in peripheral blood from 15 CML patients were preformed using real-time PCR technique. And the TREC-number was related to the number of T-cells by determination of the number of CD3-positive cells. The change of BCR-ABL level in 6 CML patients was followed-up for two years.

Results There was no significant correlation between TRECs and BCR-ABL mRNA in peripheral blood from CML patients at the first diagnose. Patients who had higher TRECs at diagnosis had a larger reduction of BCR-ABL level after 2 years of follow-up. While in 2 patients who underwent haemopoietic stem cell transplantation(HSCT), BCR-ABL in one patient with higher pre-transplantation TRECs value became undetectable with three consecutive detections during the first year post transplantation, but low level of BCR-ABL could be identified in the other patient.

Conclusion High thymic output function in CML patients could be helpful for anti-residual CML cells.