title: [Study of WIF-1 promoter methylation with expressions of β-catenin in acute leukemia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the significance of WIF-1 gene promoter methylation and the expression of β-catenin in acute leukemia (AL) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The method of methylation specific polymerase chain reaction was employed to detect the status of WIF-1 gene methylation in 55 acute leukemia patients and normal controls from January 2009 to June 2010 in our hospital. The expression of β-catenin was measured by flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The methylation of WIF-1 gene promoter was found in 32.7% (18/55) AL patients. And the percentage was significantly higher than that of the controls (0). The patients with the methylation of WIF-1 gene had a lower complete remission rate (38.9%, 7/18) for the first chemotherapy than those without (81.1%, 30/37) (P < 0.05). The expressions of β-catenin in methylation AL patients and those with non-methylation were 17.5% ± 3.3% and 15.4% ± 3.6% respectively. And they were significantly higher than the controls (10.5% ± 1.5%, P < 0.05). The expression of β-catenin was higher in positive methylation patients than those negative ones (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The methylation of WIF-1 gene promoter and β-catenin may be involved in the abnormal activation of Wnt/β-catenin signal in acute leukemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Qian Foshan Hospital, Shandong Univeristy, Jinan 250014, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chuan-sheng
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Ke-hong
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.forename: Wen-wei
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hou
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C485569:WIF1 protein, human; D051176:beta Catenin