Identification of new markers discriminating between myeloid and lymphoid acute leukemia.
BACKGROUND
The heterogeneity of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with respect to biology and clinical course resides in the fact that patients belonging to the same group show marked differences in their response to chemotherapy, necessitating a refinement of AML classification.


METHODS
In order to define molecular markers for AML, we performed microarray analysis on peripheral blood cells from two M5 AML patients, and selected four differentially expressed genes to validate their expression by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR).


RESULTS
We have shown that two downregulated genes in AML, those encoding guanine nucleotide-binding protein gamma11 (GNG11) and amphiregulin (AREG), are also downregulated in B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) and T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) patients. A second gene, that encoding ceruloplasmin (CP), is upregulated in AML but not in B-ALL and T-ALL. The level of expression of these genes varies from one patient to another.


CONCLUSIONS
Since the number of patients studied is limited, further studies are needed with a larger series of patients to evaluate the potential utility of GNG11, AREG and CP as molecular markers for AML subtype classification. Our study is the first to analyze these genes in AML, B-ALL, T-ALL and chronic leukemia (myeloid and lymphoid) patients by RT-PCR. This rapid and sensitive method could be used to screen these genes in different types of leukemia.
Haouas
Houda
H
Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, National Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology, Tunis, Tunisia. haouas_h@yahoo.com
Haouas
Samira
S
Uzan
Georges
G
Hafsia
Aïcha
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D066258:Amphiregulin; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002570:Ceruloplasmin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D066255:EGF Family of Proteins; D005260:Female; D043802:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gq-G11 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015973:Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D015452:Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*; D054218:Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics
C587848:AREG protein, human; D066258:Amphiregulin; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D066255:EGF Family of Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D002570:Ceruloplasmin; D043802:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gq-G11