Significance of expression of serum sHLA-G, ɑ-HBDH and STAT1 in acute myeloid leukemia and their relationship with prognosis

Ping YE; Lingling QIU; Lijuan FANG

ABSTRACT

Objective:

To investigate the significance of expression of serum soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G), alpha-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (α-HBDH) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and their relationship with prognosis.

Methods:

A total of 107 patients with AML who received treatment in Xiaoshan Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, from June 2016 to June 2019 were included in the AML group. An additional 100 healthy controls who concurrently received physical health examination in the same hospital were included in the control group. Serum samples were collected from both patients with AML and healthy controls. Serum concentration of sHLA-G concentration was determined using the double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum α-HBDH concentration was determined using the rate method. Peripheral blood was collected from patients with AML and healthy controls. The relative expression of STAT1 was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results:

sHLA-G and α-HBDH concentrations in the AML group were (13.26 ± 2.19) μg/L and (362.17 ± 38.47) U/L, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the control group [(5.08 ± 0.43) μg/L, (108.94 ± 12.19) U/L, t = 36.69, 62.93, both P < 0.05]. The relative expression of STAT1 in the AML group was significantly higher than that in the control group [(3.17 ± 0.25) vs. (1.01 ± 0.01), t = 86.32, P < 0.05] Among patients with Hb ≤ 80 g/L, the number of patients with high sHLA-G expression was higher than that of patients with low sHLA-G expression ( χ2 = 7.15, P < 0.05). The number of patients with white blood cells > 10 × 10 9/L was significantly higher than that of patients with low sHLA-G expression ( χ2 = 17.31, P < 0.05). Among patients with Hb ≤ 80 g/L, the number of patients with high α-HBDH expression was significantly higher than that of patients with low α-HBDH expression ( χ2 = 10.76, P < 0.05). The number of patients with white blood cells > 10 × 10 9/L was significantly higher than that with low α-HBDH expression ( χ2 = 13.17, P < 0.05). Among patients with Hb ≤ 80 g/L, the number of patients with high STAT1 expression was significantly higher than that of patients with low STAT1 expression ( χ2 = 18.14, P < 0.05). The number of patients with white blood cells > 10 × 10 9/L was significantly higher than that of patients with low STAT1 expression ( χ2 = 18.51, P < 0.05). The overall survival time in patients with high sHLA-G, α-HBDH expression and STAT1 expression was (17.92 ± 1.72) months, (19.34 ± 1.57) months, and (16.36 ± 2.08) months, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in patients with low sHLA-G, α-HBDH and STAT1 expression [(28.93 ± 1.46) months, (27.53 ± 1.89) months, (30.48 ± 1.12) months, t = 35.08, 24.07, 38.32, all P < 0.05].

Conclusion:

sHLA-G, α-HBDH and STAT1 are abnormally expressed in patients with AML. Higher sHLA-G, α-HBDH and STAT1 expression indicates poorer prognosis of AML. Therefore, sHLA-G, α-HBDH and STAT1 can be used as the potential targets for AML treatment and prognosis prediction. Findings from this study are highly innovative and scientific.