Features of gene mutations and its correlation with the therapeutic efficacy by using whole exome sequencing in acute myeloid leukemia / 白血病·淋巴瘤

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the characteristics of gene mutation by using whole exome sequencing (WES) and its relationship with therapeutic efficacy in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).Methods:The data of 30 patients with AML from the Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University between December 2014 and September 2019 were retrospectively analyzed; the result of WES, disease type and classification, genetic prognostic stratification and therapeutic efficacy were summarized. The mutation types and mutation frequency of AML patients stratified by the different clinical characteristics and genetic prognosis were compared.Results:Among 30 AML patients, 26 cases (86.7%) had 1 gene mutation at least. The genes with a mutation frequency more than 10.0% were NRAS, RUNX1, TET2, CEBPA, IDH2 and ASXL1. The function of the mutated genes was involved in signaling pathways, transcription factors, epigenetics, and RNA splicing and other biological functions; in terms of mutation pattern, 19 cases (63.3%) of all AML patients mainly presented combined mutations of many combinations. There were no significant differences in mutation rates among age, gender, disease type, disease classification and genetic prognosis stratification groups (all P > 0.05). Of the 8 fusion gene positive cases, 7 were mutated, the average mutation frequency was 175.0% (14/8). There were 19 mutations in 22 patients with negative fusion gene, the average mutation frequency was 213.6% (47/22), and the difference in mutation frequency between the two groups was statistically significant ( P = 0.001). Of the 14 cases of continuous remission, 11 had mutations, with average mutation frequency of 157.1% (22/14); there were 9 cases of mutations in 10 relapsed patients, and the average mutation frequency was 200.0% (20/10); mutations occurred in 5 patients with primary drug resistance, and the average mutation frequency was 300.0% (15/5); and the difference of mutation frequency among the three groups was statistically significant ( P = 0.009). Conclusions:Through WES analysis, it is found that most AML patients have complex and variable gene mutations; and the higher the gene mutation frequency is, the worse the prognosis of the disease is.