Technical Notes

FLT3 Mutations by PCR

FLT3 Mutations: FLT3 Mutations is a type of co-operative mutations that plays a vital role in about 40% of the AML patient's prognosis. FLT3 gene mutations are an alteration in the DNA of certain leukemia cells. They occur in up to 40 percent of acute myeloid leukemia cases. These mutations cause the cancer to grow more aggressively and to be less amenable to cure. Researchers at the Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have developed a type of drug, called a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that blocks the activity of the mutated protein.
This inhibitor drug, called CEP-701, was tested on AML cells in the laboratory and in mice and found to be effective in killing FLT3-mutant AML.

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Methodology:

Patients DNA would be isolated, purified and subjected to PCR amplification using oligonucleotide primers & Taqman probe. An additional amplification directed at GAPDH would be performed as a control for sample DNA quality.