OBJECTIVETo determine the feasibility of detecting target gene expression and evaluate the expression of homeobox gene HOX11L2 as well as its clinical significance in paraffin-embedded T-lymphoblastic lymphoma T-LBL.

METHODSHOX11L2 mRNA was analyzed by RT-PCR and real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR) on paraffin-embedded tissues in 54 cases of T-LBL.

RESULTSHOX11L2 expression was observed in 7 cases (13.0%). The age ranged from 5 to 15 years, with a median of 9 years. All of the HOX11L2 expressed patients had prior mediastinal masses, and 5 of them expressed high level of Ki67 antigen (PI> or =80%). Symptoms of CNS invasion were diagnosed in 2 cases. Significant differences in the age ratio (P < 0.05), the level of Ki67 antigen (P < 0.05) and the incidence of mediastinal involvement (P < 0.05) were observed between patients positive or negative for HOX11L2. Patients positive for HOX11L2 had a worse outcome than those negative for HOX11L2, with median survival of 7 and 11.5 month, respectively. No statistic difference was found in sex, clinical stages, CNS and bone marrow involvement between HOX11L2 positive and negative groups.

CONCLUSIONSDetection of target gene expression in paraffin-embedded tissues is feasible by RT-PCR or RQ-PCR. HOX11L2 expression was limited in childhood with T-LBL and probably associated with the development and poor prognosis of some pediatric T-LBL patients.