p53 gene rearrangements in chronic myelocytic leukemia.

We performed Southern-blot analysis of the p53 gene in 41 consecutive patients with typical chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML). In two of them, we were able to study cells during both the chronic and the accelerated phases. Only one of the 29 chronic-phase samples had rearrangement of the p53 gene, whereas three of the nine accelerated-phase samples and one of the five patients in blast crisis exhibited rearrangements. Gene deletion was observed in two patients, one in accelerated phase and the other in blast crisis. One patient with a nonrearranged p53 gene in chronic phase showed rearrangement after progression to the accelerated phase. On the other hand, one patient in accelerated phase exhibited rearrangements which disappeared after reversion to chronic phase with successful treatment. Our findings support the opinion that alterations of the p53 gene may play an important role in CML evolution.