title: High expression of LMO2 predicts a favorable outcome in adult patients with BCR/ABL negative B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
abstract: The LIM domain only protein 2 (LMO2) is a key regulator of hematopoietic stem cell development. Expression of LMO2 has been evaluated in B-cell lymphoma, T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia; however, information concerning its role in breakpoint cluster region/Abelson murine leukemia viral oncogene homolog 1 (BCR/ABL) negative B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) remains limited. The present study investigated LMO2 expression using quantitative polymerase chain reaction in 85 adult patients with BCR/ABL negative B-ALL, and associated the expression of LMO2 with established prognostic factors. LMO2 expression levels in patients with BCR/ABL negative B-ALL was not significantly different compared with control individuals (P=0.25). However, LMO2 expression levels were associated with the immunophenotypical features of the patients; a high LMO2 expression was associated with a higher incidence of complete remission (P=0.03) and lower rate of relapse (P=0.01), and patients with a high LMO2 expression had a significantly improved overall survival rate (P=0.01) and disease-free survival (P=0.01). The present results suggest that LMO2 expression is a favorable prognostic marker in adult patients with BCR/ABL negative B-ALL and may be used as a diagnostic marker and therapeutic target. However, additional studies regarding its prognostic role in patients with BCR/ABL negative B-ALL are required.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 31115, Egypt.
authors.forename: Rabab M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Aly
authors.affiliation: Clinical Hematology Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 31115, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mona M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Taalab
authors.affiliation: General Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine For Girls, Alazhar University, Cairo 31991, Egypt.
authors.forename: Eman M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Abdsalam
authors.affiliation: Department of General Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.
authors.forename: Omar H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Elyamany
authors.affiliation: Department of General Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.
authors.forename: Omar E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Hasan
keywords: ALL; LMO2; expression; prognosis