Alterations of the p53 gene in Philadelphia chromosome-positive leukemia including chronic myelogenous leukemia and acute leukemia.

We analyzed the structural alteration of the p53 gene, by Southern blotting with conventional and/or pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, in patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive leukemia (chronic myelogenous leukemia; CML, 34 cases and acute leukemia; AL, 5 cases). We found an alteration of the p53 gene in one of 5 AL patients. Loss of heterozygosity was detected in two CML patients with i(17q) chromosome, but we could find no other alterations in the remaining CML patients.