Association analysis of the expression level of Nrf2 mRNA in peripheral blood nucleated cells and the severity of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression / 肿瘤

ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate the interindividual variation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) mRNA expression level in the peripheral blood nucleated cells and its correlation with the severity of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression. Methods: The expression level of Nrf2 mRNA in the peripheral blood nucleated cells from 30 cases of cancer was detected by semi-quantitative RT-PCR before chemotherapy, and the association between the Nrf2 mRNA expression and the chemotherapyinduced myelosuppression was analyzed. Results: The Nrf2 mRNA expression level in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells exhibited significant interindividual differences. The Nrf2 mRNA expression level was significantly higher in the patients with grades 0-1 leukopenia or neutropenia than that in the patients with grades 2-4 (P <0.05), but it was not associated with the age, gender, chemotherapeutic regimen and the type of tumor. The association analysis showed that the Nrf2 mRNA expression level in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells was negatively associated with leukopenia and neutropenia (r = -0.448, P = 0.013; r = -0.493, P = 0.006). Conclusion: The expression level of Nrf2 mRNA in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells is significantly correlated with chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression. It may be employed as an ideal marker to predict the severity of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression and helpful for clinical decision-making and early prevention and treatment of myelosuppression. Copyright © 2012 by TUMOR.