DNA incorporation of 6-thioguanine nucleotides during maintenance therapy of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Rikke L Hedeland, Kristian Hvidt, Jacob Nersting, Susanne Rosthøj, Kim Dalhoff, Birgitte Lausen, Kjeld Schmiegelow

35 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Purpose: To explore the DNA incorporation of 6-thioguanine nucleotide levels (DNA-6TGN) during 6-mercaptopurine (6MP) therapy of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and its relation to erythrocyte levels of their metabolites: 6-thioguanine-nucleotides (E-6TGN), methylated metabolites (E-MeMP), Methotrexate polyglutamates (E-MTX), and to thiopurine methyltransferase activity (TPMT). Methods:We studied these metabolites in 229 blood samples from 18 children with ALL (N = 16) or NHL (N = 2) on 6MP/Methotrexate maintenance therapy. Results: DNA-6TGN levels were significantly correlated to E-6TGN (rp = 0.66, p = 0.003) with a trend to reach a plateau at high E-6TGN levels. To explore the relative DNA incorporation of 6TGN in relation to cytosol 6TGN levels, a DNA-6TGN index was calculated as DNA-6TGN/E-6TGN. The DNA-6TGN index was inversely correlated to E-6TGN (rp =-0.58, p = 0.012), which implies that with increasing levels of E-6TGN relatively less 6TGN are incorporated into DNA. E-MeMP levels were correlated to the DNA-TGN index (rp = 0.60, p = 0.008), indicating that high levels of MeMP result in enhanced DNA-6TGN incorporation, possibly due to inhibition of purine de novo synthesis, mediated by some of the methylated 6MP metabolites. Conclusions: DNA-6TGN may prove to be a more relevant pharmacokinetic parameter for monitoring 6MP treatment intensity than the previously used erythrocyte 6MP metabolites levels. Prospective clinical trials are needed to evaluate the usefulness of DNA-6TGN for individual dose adjustments.

Original languageEnglish
JournalCancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology
Volume66
Issue number3
Pages (from-to)485-91
Number of pages7
ISSN0344-5704
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Aug 2010

Keywords

  • 6-Mercaptopurine
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cytosol
  • DNA
  • Drug Monitoring
  • Erythrocytes
  • Female
  • Guanine Nucleotides
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin
  • Male
  • Methotrexate
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma
  • Purines
  • Thionucleotides

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