Expression characteristics and prognosis significance of miRNA-181a in acute myeloid leukemia with normal karyotype / 中华血液学杂志

Objective@#To study the expression of miRNA-181a in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with normal karyotype to probe its prognosis significance.@*Methods@#The expression level of miRNA-181a in bone marrow mononuclear cells of 120 de novo AML patients with normal karyotype was detected by real time fluorescence quantitative PCR. The direct sequencing method was used to detect IDH1, IDH2, NPM1, FLT3-ITD, DNMT3A and CEBPα mutations in CN-AML patients after PCR. The relationship between miRNA-181a expression and gene mutation, the clinical parameters and prognosis were analyzed.@*Results@#The rates of overall surviva1 (OS) in high expression and low expression groups were 25.0 months and 15.0 months, respectively (P<0.05) . Relapse free survival (RFS) in high expression and low expression groups were 21.4 months and 11.2 months, respectively (P<0.05) . Significantly higher level hemoglobin, complete remission rate and proportion of wild type NPM1 expression in the high expression of miRNA-181a group were observed when compared with the lower expression of miRNA-181a group (P<0.05) . Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed miRNA-181a overexpression was an independent prognostic factor for CN-AML (HR=2.219, 95%CI 1.601~2.432, P=0.018) .@*Conclusion@#Higher expression of miRNA-181a was a good prognostic factor independent of clinical parameters and high frequency gene mutations, which implicated that the miRNA-181a expression level could be used as an important prognostic indicator of AML patients with normal karyotype.

The clinical efficacy of all-trans retinoic acid plus arsenic trioxide in 177 newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia patients / 中华血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the clinical efficacy of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) plus arsenic trioxide (ATO) in induction and maintenance therapy in newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A retrospective analysis of 298 newly diagnosed APL patients from the department of hematology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University since September 2004 to December 2013, including 177 cases with ATRA plus ATO and 116 ATRA plus chemotherapy (CT), was performed to investigate the clinical efficacy between the low-intermediate (WBC≤10×10⁹/L) and high (WBC>10×10⁹/L) risk APL patients, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>For the low-intermediate risk patients, the relapse rate in ATRA plus CT and ATRA plus ATO are 22.0% and 6.1% (P=0.004), respectively; the 3 years estimated relapse-free survival (RFS) are 78.0% and 92.9% (P=0.021), respectively. For the high risk patients, the relapse rate in ATRA plus CT and ATRA plus ATO are 25.0% and 5.2% (P=0.035), respectively; the 3 years estimated RFS rate were 80.8% and 93.0% (P=0.021), respectively. But the rate of early death (ED), complete remission (CR) and overall survival (OS) between the two therapy protocols had no statistical difference (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ATRA plus ATO in induction and maintenance therapy might prolong the RFS time of the low-intermediate risk APL patients and decrease the relapse rate of the low, intermediate and high risk APL patients.</p>

Clinical and cytogenetic study of chromosome 1 abnormality in myelodysplastic syndrome / 中华血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the incidence of chromosome 1 abnormality in myelodysplastic syndrome（MDS）to couple its association with clinical presentation and prognosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>R- band karyotype analyses were performed in 672 cases of MDS between 2010 and 2013. Clinical data of those with abnormal chromosome l were collected and then analyzed factors affecting the prognosis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of 672 cases of patients with MDS, chromosome 1 aberration［der（1）, dup（1）, －1 were most frequent］ were found in 41（6.1%）cases. 1q trisomy was found in 18/41（43.9%）cases, and the most common patterns were duplication of the long arm as well as unbalanced translocation with other chromosomes. Of 41 patients with chromosomal 1 abnormality, 32 cases were accompanied with other chromosomal aberration, usually involving 3 or more abnormal chromosomal karyotypes, e.g., chromosome 8, 7 abnormalities. According to IPSS-R scoring system, 19 patients were diagnosed with very high risk, 10 patients high risk, 10 patients intermediate risk and 2 patients low risk MDS. 9 patients transformed into acute leukemia with median transforming time of 7.18（0.56-54.28）months. Median survival of 36 cases after 2010 was 17.48（95% CI 14.38-20.58）months. There were significant differences on median survival between RAEB and non-RAEB groups（χ²=10.398, P=0.001）, and between with more than 3 chromosome abnormalities and with less than 3 groups（χ²=3.939, P=0.047）. RAEB was identified as an independent risk factor for the prognosis of MDS with chromosome 1 abnormality.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Chromosome 1 aberration was not rare in MDS. 1q trisomy was the most common abnormal karyotype in China, which often accompanied with other chromosomal abnormalities. The prognosis of MDS patients with chromosome 1 abnormality was poor, especially worse in those diagnosed with RAEB-1, RAEB-2 and with more than 3 chromosome abnormality. For patients whose percentage of bone marrow blasts less than 5%, the prognosis of patients with 1q trisomy was better than those without 1q trisomy. RAEB was identified as an independent risk factor for the prognosis of MDS with chromosome 1 abnormality.</p>

Influence of RNA interference on MSI-2 gene in THP-1 cell and expression of NUMB / 中华血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of small interfering RNA（siRNA）for MSI-2 on the growth, apoptosis and NUMB expression of THP-1 cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Three siRNA for MSI-2 gene was designed and transfected into THP- 1 cells. The cell inhibition, colony formation and apoptosis were determined. The protein expression of NUMB, caspase- 3 and PARP were detected by Western blotting.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After MSI- 2 expression of THP- 1 cells was down- regulated for 24 hours, cell inhibition of siRNA MSI-2 group was（47.89±7.64）%, obviously higher than that of negative control group（P=0.005）. After 9 days, cell colony count of siRNA MSI-2 group was 7.50±1.53, also lower than that of negative control group（35.75±7.46, P<0.001）. In addition, apoptotic rates of siRNA MSI- 2 group at 24 hours ［（15.22±1.52）%］and 48 hours［（33.83±3.96）%］were significantly higher than those of negative control group（P=0.008 and P=0.001, respectively）. Accordingly, activations of caspase-3 and PARP and increased NUMB were observed in siRNA MSI- 2 group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>siRNA for MSI- 2 gene could increase the expressions of NUMB to inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis of THP-1 cells.</p>

Expression of Musashi2 gene in de novo acute myeloid leukemia and its clinical implications / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the expression and clinical significance of Musashi2 (MSI2) gene in de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Real-time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR) was used to measure the expression of MSI2 gene in 181 de novo AML patients. Correlation between the expression level and clinical features of such patients was explored.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Transcript of the MSI2 gene was detected in 181 AML patients, with the median expression level being 2.341 (0.1124-58.8566). By contrast, CD34+ cells from 10 healthy controls had a much lower expression level (P=0.012), and the expression level of MSI2 in 24 patients with complete remission was significant lower than de novo patients (P=0.021). Based on the median expression level, such patients were divided into low expression group and high expression group. Patients from the high expression group had significantly higher rate of high white blood cell count (78% vs. 63%, P=0.034). Compared with MSI2-low group, FLT3-ITD mutation were much more common in MSI2-high group (28% vs. 7%, P=0.002). The expression level of MSI2 in aberrant karyotypes was much higher than that in favorable karyotypes (the median expression level was 2.7726 and 2.0733, P=0.035). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the overall survival in high expression group of MSI2 was lower than the low expression group, with the median survival time being 28 months and 12 months, respectively (P=0.045).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>De novo AML patients have a higher level of MSI2 gene expression. And the latter is much more common in those with high white blood cell count and aberrant karyotypes, and has a positive correlation with FLT3-ITD mutation. High expression of MSI2 gene may be a predictor for poorer prognosis among AML patients.</p>

Clinical significance of TET2 gene expression in 157 adult acute myeloid leukemia patients with normal cytogenetics / 中华血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the clinical significance of ten-eleven-translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase 2 (TET2) mRNA expression levels in adult acute myeloid leukemia patients with normal cytogenetics (CN-AML).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Expression levels of TET2 mRNA were measured by real-time PCR in 157 adult CN-AML, and its clinical impact in CN-AML was evaluated as well.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>TET2 gene expression levels from bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) [7.29(3.41-9.99)] and CD34+ cells [6.02(5.64-6.54)] in CN-AML were significantly lower than those [BMMNCs: 8.13(6.68-9.04), P=0.026; CD34+ cells: 6.48(5.97-7.12), P=0.034] in healthy control. And TET2 mRNA level at diagnosis [7.32(6.11-8.41)] was obviously lower than that at complete remission [8.39(7.76-8.79), P<0.01]. CN-AML patients with lower levels of TET2 mRNA showed worse survival rate [(32.7±5.9)%] at 18-month than those with higher levels [(48.6±6.9)%, P=0.041]. In multivariate analysis, lower level of TET2 mRNA was an independent prognostic factor for OS [hazard ratio(HR)2.032, 95% confidence interval (CI)1.272-3.247, P=0.003] and event-free survival [HR 1.532, 95% CI 1.014-2.314, P=0.043].</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The level of TET2 mRNA is significantly lower in patients with CN-AML and it is an independent negative prognostic factor. TET2 could be an important factor for the molecular-based risk stratification in CN-AML.</p>

Expression level of SET gene in acute myeloid leukemia and its clinical significance / 中华血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression level of SET gene in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and evaluate its significance.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression level of SET gene in 141 de novo AML patients was determined by real time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR), and its relationship with the clinical features and outcomes of these patients were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>SET gene transcript level was detected in 141 AML patients with the median expression level of 0.86(range 0.02-15.69). AML patients with higher SET gene expression had a higher level of white blood cell (WBC ≥ 100 × 10⁹/L) count than of lower SET gene expression ones (31.0% vs 11.4%, P=0.005). In the 136 patients who received treatment after diagnosis, higher SET gene expression group had lower complete remission rate (50.0%) than of lower expression cohort (73.5%) after two cycles of chemotherapy (P=0.005). Survival analysis showed that patients with higher SET gene expression had significantly shorter overall survival(OS) (10 months vs 22 months, P=0.001) and event-free survival (EFS) (2 months vs 14 months, P=0.005) than of lower SET gene expression ones. Multivariate COX regression analysis showed SET overexpression was an independent prognostic factor for OS. In the patients with the normal karyotype, higher SET expression group also had significantly shorter OS (12 months vs 35 months, P=0.010) and EFS (4 months vs 14 months, P=0.026) than of lower SET expression ones.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>High expression of SET gene was associated with poor prognosis and might be a prognostic molecular marker of AML.</p>