Quantification of BCR-ABL Transcripts by Real-Time PCR in Leukemia Samples

Abstract

We present the results of analytical verification and our experience with clinical use of real-timePCR for relative quantification of BCR-ABL RNA transcripts. A total of 90 peripheral blood and bone marrow specimens were analysed.

For real-time PCR the LightCycler t(9; 22) Quantification Kit, based on hybridization probe chemistry, was used. The number of BCR-ABL transcripts in clinical samples was normalized in ratio to the amount of G6PDH transcripts and the results were expressed in percentages.

Conclusions: Despite single-step amplification, real-time PCR is a sensitive laboratory method that, compared to SQ-PCR, has provided concordant and reproducible results in clinical samples where BCR-ABL levels were higher than 0.001%.

Keywords

• Quantification
• BCR-ABL
• Transcripts
• Real-Time
• Leukemia
• Samples