[Real-time quantitative PCR detecting B7-H1 gene expression in leukemia cells and its clinical implications].
OBJECTIVE
To detect the expression of B7-H1 gene in bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) from leukemia patients and explore its clinical implications.


METHODS
The B7-H1 mRNA expression levels of BMMNCs from 74 newly diagnosed leukemia patients and 10 normal volunteers were detected by real-time quantitative PCR. At the same time, BMMNCs from 12 patients in complete remission (CR) after chemotherapy and 5 in relapse were followed up. The correlation between the clinical features of 74 de novo leukemia patients and the expression level of B7-H1 gene was analyzed.


RESULTS
The mRNA expression level of B7-H1 gene in BMMNCs from de novo leukemia patients (RQ = 0.125) was lower than that from normal control (RQ=1). When patients achieved CR the gene expression level (RQ = 69.07) was significantly higher than that before CR (P = 0.001). After relapsed, its level (RQ=4) was still higher than that before CR (P > 0.05). No clinical parameters such as gender, age, peripheral white blood count, blast cells ratio in BM, CD34 positive cells were significantly correlated with the expression level of B7-H1 except the response to therapy. The initial expression level of B7-H1 gene in non CR patients after therapy was significantly higher than that in CR patients (RQ = 26. 91, P = 0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
The mRNA expression level of B7-H1 gene in newly diagnosed leukemia patients is lower than that in normal controls, and is higher in CR patients than in newly diagnosed patients. There is a correlation between the gene expression level and responsiveness to therapy.
Li
Xin
X
Institute of Haematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, CAMS & PUMC, Tianjin 300020, China.
Wang
Ya-fei
YF
Ge
Wei
W
Li
Zeng-jun
ZJ
Yu
Zhen
Z
Li
Yun-tao
YT
Wan
Chang-chun
CC
Li
Qiao-chuan
QC
Qiu
Lu-gui
LG
D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism*; D060890:B7-H1 Antigen; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D015703:Antigens, CD; D060890:B7-H1 Antigen; C423236:CD274 protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger