DETECTION OF HUMAN CYTOMEGALOVIRUS IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA IN JORDAN

Abstract

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is a blood cancer with risk factors that include genetics, environment, and viruses. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection during fetal stages may contribute to ALL. HCMV can establish asymptomatic lifelong latency, potentially becoming linked to cancer under certain conditions. This study aimed to explore the connection between HCMV+ infections and ALL by detecting HCMV in 35 pediatric patients with ALL and comparing them to 15 healthy individuals as a control group. Additionally, it sought to establish potential correlations between HCMV+ infections and various parameters, including age, gender, and cytogenetics. In this study, blood samples were analyzed. The detection of HCMV was conducted by quantifying the viral load of the HCMV UL83 gene using quantitative PCR after DNA extraction from whole blood samples. The study found that among the studied 35 pediatric ALL patients visiting the clinic in Royal Medical Services Hospital, five patients (14.28%) tested positive for the HCMV UL83 gene, indicating a prevalence of CMV infection in this group. A noteworthy and unexpected discovery was the correlation between HCMV positivity and the presence of cytogenetic abnormalities. Specifically, three cases showed DNA mutation signatures in ETV6-RUNX1, and additional cases exhibited extra copies in their chromosomes. In conclusion, 14.28% of pediatric ALL patients tested positive for CMV infection (HCMV UL83 gene). The link between CMV positivity and cytogenetic abnormalities was an unexpected discovery, including DNA mutations in ETV6-RUNX1 and extra chromosome copies. For future research, it is recommended to explore the mechanistic implications of this correlation for potential treatment strategies.