- 期刊
Molecular Analysis of Three Common Polymorphisms of Thiopurine S-methytransferase of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Patients in Taiwan
並列摘要
Thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT) is a cytosolic enzyme involved in the metabolism of mercaptopurine (6-MP), a drug commonly used in the maintenance phase of chemotherapy used in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia [1,2]. Methylation of thiopurine drugs by TPMT competes with the formation of their active 6-thioguanine nucleotide metabolite, thereby potentially modulating the therapeutic and toxic effects of these drugs [3]. TPMT polymorphisms were linked to hematopoietic toxicity and even treatment prognosis [4]. To analyze the three common polymorphisms of thiopurine S-methyltransferase allelic frequencies in childhood ALL patients in Taiwan, we used multiplex polymerase chain reaction and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method to determine the allelic frequencies of TPMT variants (TPMT(superscript *)2, TPMT(superscript *)3B, TPMT(superscript *)3C) [5] in 200 childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients in Taiwan. The results showed that only 8 heterozygous TPMT(superscript *)3C were detected in our study population. The allelic frequencies of TPMT(superscript *)3C were 2%. No TPMT(superscript *)2, 3B were found in our study population. Our results provide useful information for using 6-MP in our patients, but it can not fully explain why some patients tolerated low dose of 6-MP we prescribed in the clinical practice. Further studies may be needed.