High applicability of ASO-RQPCR for detection of minimal residual disease in multiple myeloma by entirely patient-specific primers/probes

Allele-specific oligonucleotide real-time quantitative PCR (ASO-RQPCR) is a standardized technique for detection and monitoring of minimal residual disease (MRD) in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) but not multiple myeloma (MM) due to a low applicability inherent with presence of somatic hypermutation. Herein, by a staged PCR approach and sequencing, clonality and tumor-specific complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3) sequence were identified in 13/13 MM by sequential PCR of IgH VDJ (n = 10), IgH DJ (n = 2), or IgK VJ (n = 1). Using consensus primers/probes conventionally employed in ALL, ASO-RQPCR worked in three (23.1 %) cases only. Conversely, using entirely patient-specific primers/probes, ASO-RQPCR was applicable in eight (61.5 %) cases with a sensitivity of 5 × 10(−4)–10(−5). Moreover, using standard curves constructed by serial dilution of plasmids cloned with patient-specific CDR3, ASO-RQPCR was successful in 12 (92.3 %) cases with a sensitivity of 10(−4)–10(−5), but not in a case lacking an N region, in which design of a tumor-specific ASO primer was precluded. Finally, in a patient in complete response (CR), further reduction of MRD after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) was demonstrated. In summary, using entirely patient-specific primers/probes, ASO-RQPCR was applicable in >90 % MM patients and enabled detection of dynamic changes of MRD before and after ASCT despite conventional CR. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13045-016-0336-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.