Transcription profiling by array of human bone marrow plasma cells from multiple myeloma patients

Abstract

In order to identify relevant, molecularly defined subgroups in Multiple Myeloma (MM), gene expression profiling (GEP) was performed on purified CD138+ plasma cells of 320 newly diagnosed myeloma patients included in the Dutch-Belgian/German HOVON-65/ GMMG-HD4 trial using Affymetrix Gene Chip U133 plus 2.0 arrays. Hierarchical clustering identified 10 distinct subgroups. Bone marrow plasma cell samples were obtained from 320 newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients included in a large multicenter, prospective, randomized phase III trial (HOVON65/GMMG-HD4). Purified myeloma plasma cells samples with a monoclonal plasma cell purity > 80% were used for analysis