The sensitivity of the FLT3-ITD detection method is an important consideration when diagnosing acute myeloid leukemia

Abstract

Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3-internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD) is a key predictive factor for the prognosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We compared the detection sensitivity of fragment analysis with that of PCR-electrophoresis using MV4-11 (FLT3-ITD) and NKM-1 (FLT3-wild type) cell lines. DNA of these cells was mixed at different ratios and subjected to PCR-electrophoresis or fragment analysis. PCR-electrophoresis was found to have an FLT3-ITD allelic ratio (AR) detection limit of 0.034–0.072. Visual inspection of the PCR-electrophoresis revealed a lower detection sensitivity than that of fragment analysis. Therefore, it is essential to conduct fragment analysis when screening for FLT3-ITD.