James Malone

All Publications

• Diagnosis of transfusion-related acute lung injury: TRALI or not TRALI? ANNALS OF CLINICAL AND LABORATORY SCIENCE Fontaine, M. J., MALONE, J., Mullins, F. M., GRUMET, F. C. 2006; 36 (1): 53-58

  Abstract

  TRALI is a challenging diagnosis for both the transfusion specialist and the clinician. A Canadian consensus panel has recently proposed guidelines to better define TRALI and its implications. The guidelines recommend classifying each suspected case in one of the following 3 categories: (1) "TRALI," (2) "Possible TRALI," or (3) "Not TRALI." We report the clinical presentation, laboratory evaluation, and management of 3 patients with respiratory failure (RF) following allogeneic blood transfusions. These patients all experienced RF within 6 hr post-transfusion. Based on a review of the clinical and laboratory data and applying the Canadian guidelines, the first patient, a 67-yr-old man with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, was diagnosed as "TRALI" due to the sudden onset of RF requiring intensive resuscitation. The second patient, a 55-yr-old man with aplastic anemia, was diagnosed as "Possible TRALI" due to pre-existing RF that worsened after blood transfusion. The third patient, a 1-yr-old male, was diagnosed as transfusion associated circulatory overload (TACO) and "Possible TRALI," although his RF improved after treatment with diuretics. In all 3 cases, the blood donor center was informed of the suspected TRALI reactions. The remaining blood products from the donors associated with these reactions were quarantined. After review of the clinical data, the donors associated with cases #1 and #3 were screened by the blood center for granulocyte and HLA antibodies. Using a Luminex flow bead array, the following class I and class II antibodies specific for patient #1 were identified in the respective donor: anti-A25, B8, B18, and anti-DR15, DR 17. Subsequently, donor #1 was permanently deferred. A non-specific IgM anti-granulocyte antibody was identified in the donor associated with case #3, and this donor was subsequently disqualified from plasma and platelet donations. In conclusion, the Canadian guidelines to categorize patients suspected of TRALI provide a useful framework for evaluation of these patients and their respective blood donors.

  View details for Web of Science ID 000236733400008

  View details for PubMedID 16501237

• The HP1L1-PDIGFR alpha fusion tyrosine kinase in hypereosinophilic syndrome and chronic eosinophilic leukemia: implications for diagnosis, classification, and management BLOOD Gotlib, J., Cools, J., Malone, J. M., Schrier, S. L., Gilliland, D. G., Coutre, S. E. 2004; 103 (8): 2879-2891

  Abstract

  Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) and chronic eosinophilic leukemia (CEL) comprise a spectrum of indolent to aggressive diseases characterized by unexplained, persistent hypereosinophilia. These disorders have eluded a unique molecular explanation, and therapy has primarily been oriented toward palliation of symptoms related to organ involvement. Recent reports indicate that HES and CEL are imatinib-responsive malignancies, with rapid and complete hematologic remissions observed at lower doses than used in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). These BCR-ABL-negative cases lack activating mutations or abnormal fusions involving other known target genes of imatinib, implicating a novel tyrosine kinase in their pathogenesis. A bedside-to-benchtop translational research effort led to the identification of a constitutively activated fusion tyrosine kinase on chromosome 4q12, derived from an interstitial deletion, that fuses the platelet-derived growth factor receptor-alpha gene (PDGFRA) to an uncharacterized human gene FIP1-like-1 (FIP1L1). However, not all HES and CEL patients respond to imatinib, suggesting disease heterogeneity. Furthermore, approximately 40% of responding patients lack the FIP1L1-PDGFRA fusion, suggesting genetic heterogeneity. This review examines the current state of knowledge of HES and CEL and the implications of the FIP1L1-PDGFRA discovery on their diagnosis, classification, and management.

  View details for DOI 10.1182/blood-2003-06-1824

  View details for Web of Science ID 000222163500012

  View details for PubMedID 15070659

• A tyrosine kinase created by fusion of the PDGFRA and FIP1L1 genes as a therapeutic target of imatinib in idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE Cools, J., DeAngelo, D. J., Gotlib, J., Stover, E. H., Legare, R. D., Cortes, J., Kutok, J., Clark, J., Galinsky, I., GRIFFIN, J. D., Cross, N. C., Tefferi, A., MALONE, J., Alam, R., Schrier, S. L., Schmid, J., Rose, M., Vandenberghe, P., Verhoef, G., Boogaerts, M., Wlodarska, I., Kantarjian, H., Marynen, P., Coutre, S. E., Stone, R., Gilliland, D. G. 2003; 348 (13): 1201-1214

  Abstract

  Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome involves a prolonged state of eosinophilia associated with organ dysfunction. It is of unknown cause. Recent reports of responses to imatinib in patients with the syndrome suggested that an activated kinase such as ABL, platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR), or KIT, all of which are inhibited by imatinib, might be the cause.We treated 11 patients with the hypereosinophilic syndrome with imatinib and identified the molecular basis for the response.Nine of the 11 patients treated with imatinib had responses lasting more than three months in which the eosinophil count returned to normal. One such patient had a complex chromosomal abnormality, leading to the identification of a fusion of the Fip1-like 1 (FIP1L1) gene to the PDGFRalpha (PDGFRA) gene generated by an interstitial deletion on chromosome 4q12. FIP1L1-PDGFRalpha is a constitutively activated tyrosine kinase that transforms hematopoietic cells and is inhibited by imatinib (50 percent inhibitory concentration, 3.2 nM). The FIP1L1-PDGFRA fusion gene was subsequently detected in 9 of 16 patients with the syndrome and in 5 of the 9 patients with responses to imatinib that lasted more than three months. Relapse in one patient correlated with the appearance of a T674I mutation in PDGFRA that confers resistance to imatinib.The hypereosinophilic syndrome may result from a novel fusion tyrosine kinase - FIP1L1-PDGFRalpha - that is a consequence of an interstitial chromosomal deletion. The acquisition of a T674I resistance mutation at the time of relapse demonstrates that FIP1L1-PDGFRalpha is the target of imatinib. Our data indicate that the deletion of genetic material may result in gain-of-function fusion proteins.

  View details for Web of Science ID 000181790800002

  View details for PubMedID 12660384