<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression of cyclin Aprotein in childhood acute leukemia (AL) and its significance.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>By using Western blottinganalysis, cyclin Aprotein in bone marrow mononuclear cells from 47 newly diagnosed AL children and 33 non-hematological malignancychildren was detected.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression of cyclin A in AL group (0.38 +/- 0.20) was higher than that in control group (0.03 +/- 0.15) (P < 0.01). The expression of cyclin A in high risk acute lymphocyteleukemia (ALL) group (HR-ALL) (0.62 +/- 0.38) was higher than that in standard risk ALL group (SR-ALL) (0.33 +/- 0.33) (P < 0.05). The expression of cyclin A in WBC > or = 50 x 10(9)/L group and in WBC < 50 x 10(9)/L group was (0.64 +/- 0.36) and (0.39 +/- 0.38), respectively (P < 0.05). Eight (44.4%) out of 18 patients with positive cyclin A expression achieved complete remission (CR). The CR rate was lower than that of patients with negative cyclin A expression (100%) (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The higher expression of cyclin A may predict a poor prognosis for childhood ALL.</p>