Next-Generation Sequencing in Non- BCR-ABL Mechanisms Resistance in Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: Results of a Pilot Study

Introduction.In recent times, more and more data are available on the mechanisms of development of primary and secondary resistance to therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in patients with CML. The use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) allows detecting mutations in theBCR-ABLkinase domain (KD) in some patients with resistance to TKI therapy. However, the reasons for resistance in patients without mutations in theBCR-ABLKD are still unclear. Aim.To determineBCR-ABL-independent molecular genetic markers of resistance to TKI therapy in patients with CML using NGS. Materials and methods.We examined blood samples from 15 patients with resistant CP CML (8 men and 7 women) aged 32 to 59 years (Me = 44 years). Resistance to TKI therapy was determined according to the ELN 2013 criteria. In this group: 2 patients received therapy with 2 TKIs, 8 patients with 3 TKIs, 3 patients - 4 TKIs, and 2 patients received 5 TKIs (Me = 3 TKIs). Cytogenetic test revealed trisomy 8 in 3 patients. One patient was diagnosed with the T315I mutation at once. The patients underwent NGS examination of the myeloid panel, which included 55 genes, with an average reading depth of 1000x using a MiSeq device (Illumina). The 2% threshold of variant allele frequency (VAF) was used. The clinical significance of mutations was evaluated using the COSMIC, ClinVar and OMIM databases. Results.By NGS we identified genetic aberrations in all patients: an average of 5 mutations (from 1 to 10 in one patient). A total of 77 mutations with unclear clinical significance were identified: 54 of them were missense mutations, 22 were synonymous mutations, and 1 frameshift mutation. The most common abnormalities were found in theNF1(10),TET2(8),ATRX(7), andSTAG2(6) genes. In 2 patients, the simultaneous presence of mutations in theATRXandNF1genes was found, they had a primary-resistant course of the disease, MMR was not achieved even on the 3rd and 4th lines of targeted therapy. Three patients were found to have simultaneous mutations in theNF1andSTAG2genes, including two patients who also had a primary-resistant course of the disease, and one of them showed resistance to all 5 TKIs. In 2 patients with the simultaneous presence of mutations in theATRXandTET2genes, resistance to 2 TKIs was registered; CCyR without MMR was achieved only with ponatinib. In 3 patients with singleSTAG2mutations, MMR was achieved on the third line of TKI. One patient with 3 mutations inTET2also achieved MMR only on the th