title: CpG methylation analysis of the MEG3 and SNRPN imprinted genes in acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes.
abstract: Methylation is now established as a fundamental regulator of gene transcription. To investigate this in haematologic malignancies, we evaluated the aberrant promoter methylation of two imprinted genes (MEG3 and SNRPN) in 43 MDS and 42 AML patients. MEG3 hypermethylation occurred in 15 MDS patients (34.9%), and in 20 AML patients (47.6%). SNRPN hypermethylation was observed in 15 MDS patients (34.9%), and in 21 AML patients (50%). There were no significant correlations between WHO subtype, WPSS score, karyotype, haemoglobin levels, white blood cell count, platelet count and CpG methylation of any gene. MEG3 hypermethylation was associated with significantly reduced overall survival in individuals with AML (HR=1.98, p=0.04), while SNRPN CpG methylation was not associated with survival (HR=0.94, p=0.87). In addition, no association between survival and aberrant MEG3 (HR=2.15, p=0.072) or SNRPN methylation (HR=1.08, p=0.85) was observed in patients MDS. Our findings suggest that these genes are abnormally methylated in AML and MDS patients, and methylation of MEG3 confers worse overall prognosis. The MEG3 methylation status may serve as a useful biomarker in leukemia.
authors: Department of Hematology, University Hospital of Ioannina, Niarchos Avenue, 45500 Ioannina, Greece. me01532@cc.uoi.gr
authors: Leonidas
authors: L
authors: Benetatos
authors: Eleftheria
authors: E
authors: Hatzimichael
authors: Aggeliki
authors: A
authors: Dasoula
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Dranitsaris
authors: Stavroula
authors: S
authors: Tsiara
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Syrrou
authors: Ioannis
authors: I
authors: Georgiou
authors: Konstantinos L
authors: KL
authors: Bourantas
mesh_terms: D018899:CpG Islands; D019175:DNA Methylation; D018392:Genomic Imprinting; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding; D015996:Survival Rate; D055517:snRNP Core Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C498907:MEG3 non-coding RNA, human; D011506:Proteins; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding; D055517:snRNP Core Proteins