Cytogenetic Studies in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Abstract

Cytogentic studies in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) were performed at the time of diagnosis, during the course of the disease and at the time of leukemia, as well as the examination of sister chromatic exchange rate in bone marrow cells, unscheduled DNA repair activity and DNA transfection activity.
Complexed type of chromosome aberrations were observed more frequently in patients with refractory anemia with excess of blasts (RAEB) than those in patients with primary acquired refractory anemia (PARA). Increased sister chromatid exchange frequency in the bone marrow cells of MDS and deficient in repair of UV-induced lesions by DNA, irrespective of the presence or absence of a karyotype abnormality were clearly demonstrated. Transfection of DNA from bone marrow cells with MDS into NIH 3T3 cells showed no focus formations.
From these results, difference of patho-physiology between RAEB and leukemia was discussed.