ABSTRACT
This study was aimed to explore the expression and significance of DNMT1 gene in bone marrow of patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). The expression of DNMT1 gene was detected by real-time PCR in 30 healthy people and 126 AML patients. The results showed that the expression level of DNMT1 gene was lower in the 30 healthy people and was higher in AML patients. There was a marked decline in the expression level of DNMT1 gene after complete remission (CR) as compared with the initial treatment. The expression level of DNMT1 gene did not correlated with age, sex and the clinical characteristics at initial diagnosis such as white blood cell count and chromosomal karyotype in AML patients. The CR rate in AML patients with low expression level of DNMT1 gene was lower than that in those with high expression level. It is concluded that bone marrow DNMT1 gene level may play an important role in AML pathogenesis and can serve as an index in evaluating AML prognosis.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Bone Marrow , Metabolism , Pathology , Case-Control Studies , DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferase 1 , DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases , Genetics , Metabolism , Karyotyping , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute , Genetics , Metabolism , Pathology , PrognosisABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effects of beta-elemene combined with aclarubicin on the induction of HL-60 cell apoptosis and its mechanisms in antileukemia therapy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HL-60 cells were treated for 20 hours with different dose of aclarubicin (0.05, 0.10, 0.25 microg/ml) or with different concentrations of beta-elemene (10, 20, 40 microg/ml) in the presence or absence of aclarubicin (0.10 microg/m). The apoptotic rate was analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM), the productions of PGE2 in culture supernatants was detected by competitive ELISA and the expressions of COX-2 and NF-kappaB activity in HL-60 cells by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Lower concentration of aclarubicin (0.05, 0.10 microg/ml) didn't affect apoptotic rate, and COX-2, NF-kappa B and PGE2 expression on HL-60 cells. Combined treatment of beta-elemene and aclarubicin (0.10 microg/ml) enhanced the apoptotic effect and down-regulated COX-2, NF-kappaB and PGE2 expressions. There was a positive correlation between the effects and beta-elemene concentrations.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>beta-elemene enhances aclarubicin-mediated apoptotic effect, down-regulation of COX-2 and their inducing products PGE2 in HL-60 cells by suppressing activitation of NF-kappaB.</p>