Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Clinical and Chemical Pathology

Sixty two Egyptian adult patients suffering from de - novo acute leukemia were assessed for quantitative expression of the TSC1 / TSC2 gene in their bone marrow by real time PCR in addition to other haematological parameters. A control group undergoing bone marrow aspirate for non neoplastic indications were recruited. This study demonstrated that overexpression of the TSC1 / TSC2 complex might be implicated in the process of leukemogensis. In de novo acute leukemia patients TSC1 / TSC2 genes showed higher expression than the control group. In TALL cases there is a statistically significant higher level of expression of TSC1 compared to controls. In BALL and AML patients there is a statistically significant higher expression of TSC2 gene when compared to controls. TSC1 / TSC2 expression did not show any significant correlation to known prognostic indicators (age,leucocytic count and different cytogenetic and molecular markers of the different subgroups). Furthermore patients who achieved complete remission after initial treatment of ALL showed higher levels of TSC1 / TSC2 expression, whereas patients who died in ALL had a high TSC2 expression when compared to controls. Patients who died in the AML group had a higher level of TSC1 when compared to controls

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