Aberrant expression of splicing factors in newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia.
BACKGROUND
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common type of blood cancer in adults. Emerging evidence is establishing a connection between AML and aberrant alternative splicing of pre-mRNA, which may result from aberrant expression of splicing factors, the mediators of splicing reactions.


METHODS
Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, we measured mRNA expression of 7 splicing factors belonging to the serine/arginine-rich (SR) protein family, SRSF1 (SF2/ASF), SRSF2 (SC35), SRSF3 (SRp20), SRSF4 (SRp75), SRSF5 (SRp40), SRSF6 (SRp55), and SRSF7 (9G8), and 1 non-SR factor, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (HNRNPA1), in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 26 patients with newly diagnosed AML and 26 healthy controls. In addition, the relationship between splicing factors and the mRNA splicing patterns of the caspase-8 gene (CASP8) was investigated.


RESULTS
Compared to healthy controls, the expression of splicing factors was obviously aberrant in newly diagnosed AML patients. The expression of SRSF1, SRSF3 and SRSF4 mRNAs was significantly decreased. Moreover, a significant correlation was observed between several splicing factors and caspase-8 pre-mRNA splicing in AML patients, but not in control subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that aberrant expression of splicing factors in AML may potentially connect with abnormal expression of oncogenes and be useful for early diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy of AML.
Department of Clinical Laboratory, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
Jing
J
Liu
Bo
B
Huang
Yun
Y
Xiao
Huo-Mei
HM
Xiong
Jing
J
Li
Dan-Qin
DQ
Feng
Xi-Min
XM
Chen
Hai-Bin
HB
Zhang
Xiao-Zhong
XZ
Wang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017398:Alternative Splicing / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D009857:Oncogenes / Q000235:genetics*; D012326:RNA Splicing / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult