Prognostic value of IDH1 mutations identified with PCR-RFLP assay in acute myeloid leukemia patients

BackgroundSomatic mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) gene occur frequently in primary brain tumors. Recently theses mutations were demonstrated in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). So far, assessment of these mutations relied on the DNA sequencing technique.Aim of the workThe aim of this study was to detect somatic mutations in IDH1 gene using mismatched primers suitable for endonuclease based detection, without the need for DNA sequencing, and to estimate its prognostic value, on patients with de novo AML.MethodsResidual DNA extracted from pretreatment bone marrow (BM) samples of 100 patients with de novo AML was used. The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method (PCR-RFLP) was adapted to IDH1gene, codon 132 mutations screening.ResultsThe frequency of IDH1 mutations was 13%. In the non-acute promyelocytic leukemia group (non-APL), IDH1 mutations were significantly associated with FLT3-ITD negative patients (p = 0.03). Patients with IDH1 mutations did not achieve complete remission (CR). There was a trend for shorter overall survival (OS) in patients with IDH1 mutation compared to those with wild type (p = 0.08).ConclusionIDH1 mutations are recurring genetic alterations in AML and they may have unfavorable impact on clinical outcome in adult AML. The PCR-RFLP method allows for a fast, inexpensive, and sensitive method for the detection of IDH1 mutations in AML.