NT5C2 expression in children with acute leukemia and its clinical significance / 中华血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression level and analyze the clinical significance of NT5C2, which is an nucleoside analogues metabolism related gene, in children with acute leukemia (AL).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry were presented to detect the level of NT5C2 mRNA and its protein product cN- Ⅱ in bone marrow samples of 63 patients initially diagnosed with AL, 15 patients who achieved complete remission, 7 patients who relapsed and 16 non- hematologic malignancie controls. The expression of NT5C2 mRNA in different groups of AL and its relevance with clinical indicators were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>①The expression of NT5C2 mRNA in newly diagnosed B-ALL, TALL, AML and controls were 1.16 (0.89-2.25, 0.96 (0.74-1.25, 1.66 (0.84-3.15) and 0.88 (0.61-1.21), respectively. NT5C2 mRNA expression in AML (P<0.01) and B-ALL (P<0.05) cases were higher than that in controls; NT5C2 mRNA expression in T- ALL and in controls showed no significant difference (P>0.05). Changes of NT5C2 mRNA level were observed between preliminary diagnosis and complete remission in 15 patients. NT5C2 mRNA levels were significantly decreased in complete remission stage than that in newly diagnosis AL (P<0.01). NT5C2 mRNA levels of relapsed-refractory group were higher than that of complete remission group and controls (P<0.01). ② Immunohistochemical staining results revealed that NT5C2 protein levels were consistent with the trend of mRNA levels. ③NT5C2 mRNA levels in AML (r=0.434) and T-ALL (r=0.389) were positively correlated with risk classification (P<0.05). ④ During chemotherapy of patients with AML, the NR rate of bone marrow in NT5C2 high expression group was higher than that of low expression group after 9 days induction chemotherapy (35.2% vs 0) and before consolidation therapy (25.0% vs 0); The positive rate of minimal-residual disease (36.4% vs 14.3%) and relapse rate of AL (38.5% vs 28.6%) were increased in NT5C2 high expressed patients than that in low expressed patients, but all the differences were insignificant (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>High expression of NT5C2 was found to be a related risk factor of AL children with unfavourable prognosis. NT5C2 promises a new target for guiding individualized chemotherapy and evaluating the prognosis of childhood acute leukemia and monitoring recurrence.</p>

Establishment of HLH-like mouse model with CPG-ODN and IFN-γ / 中华血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish a hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)-like mouse model induced by CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG-ODN1826) and interferon (IFN)-γ for further study on therapy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Wild type adult C57BL/6 mice were administered with PBS or CpG-ODN1826 (50 μg) by intraperitoneal injection every two day and IFN-γ subcutaneous injection every day. Parameters of HLH were evaluated on day 10.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>As compared to control, HLH-like symptoms in CpG group were characterized with pancytopenia accompanied by increased ratios of monocytes, alanine aminotransferase [(198.7±54.2)IU/L], triglyceride level [(12.1±0.6)g/L], and serum ferritin [(708.4±11.8)pmol/L]; decreased albumin [(217.7±4.3)g/L], fibrinogen [(17.1±1.9)g/L] (all P<0.05). Hepatosplenomegaly was obvious in CpG group. The liver in CpG group had multifocal hepatocytes necrosis and perivascular inflammations. Spleen had expanding red pulp and hyperplastic nucleated cells. Furthermore, macrophages in the liver and spleen were largely activated. Hemophagocytosis were observed in liver, spleen and bone marrow smear. The CpG group was alive during experiment, other than significant decreased activity after the first injection of CpG-ODN.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These data demonstrate that repeated administration of CpG-ODN1826 and IFN-γ could induce HLH-like symptoms without fatal condition in wild type C57B/L mice. This protocol could establish a mild HLH-like mouse model, which could be useful for further study on HLH.</p>

SALL4 expression in children with acute leukemia and its clinical significance / 中国肿瘤临床

Objective:To investigate the expression of sal-like 4 (SALL4) gene in children with acute leukemia and analyze its clinical significance. Methods:Real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to detect SALL4 mRNA and SALL4 protein ex-pressions in 50 patients initially diagnosed with acute leukemia and in 15 patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), which served as controls. Changes were detected in SALL4 mRNA expression from preliminary diagnosis and after complete remission of 5 acute leukemia patients. The relationship between SALL4 mRNA expression and clinical indicators was analyzed. Results: SALL4 mRNA expression is higher in initially diagnosed B-ALL [13.89 (1.00-63.15)] and AML [11.12 (2.31-56.59)] than in ITP controls [1.00 (0.29-1.71)] (P0.05). SALL4 protein expression is in agreement with SALL4 mRNA expression. SALL4 mRNA expression significant-ly decreased in complete remission stage [0.98 (0.22-1.09)] than in acute phase [28.64 (11.20-87.46)] in acute-leukemia patients (P0.05). Conclusion:SALL4 was found to play an important role in pro-moting childhood B-ALL and AML, which promises a new target for monitoring the therapeutic effects and evaluating the prognosis of childhood B-ALL and AML.