SALL4 Gene Expression in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Document Type : Research Articles

Authors

1 Department of Clinical Pathology, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cario, Egypt.

2 Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cario, Egypt.

Abstract

Objectives: SALL4 gene was aberrantly expressed in many leukemia cell lines and primary leukemia cells of
acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and precursor B-cell lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphomas. Its expression may be a
useful marker to predict the diagnosis and the risk stratification of patients with AML. Methods: This study aimed to
characterize the expression pattern of SALL4 gene in adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Quantitative Real-time
PCR was used to determine the expression level of the gene in peripheral blood of 52 Egyptian adult AML patients
and 10 healthy control cases. Our study was done in the National Cancer Institute during the period of time between
December 2014 and June 2015. Results: The observed data revealed that none of the studied controls expressed SALL4
> 1.0 RQ and there was a highly statistically significant difference between cases and controls regarding SALL4 gene
expression where all cases showed higher expression of SALL4 than controls with p value SALL4 is one of few genes that bridge the self-renewal properties of ESCs, normal HSCs and LSCs. Their expression
is easily determined by real time PCR. They may be useful markers to predict prognosis and help to stratify patients
into risk adapted groups. Further studies including increasing patient numbers are essential to understand the relations
between SALL4 gene expression and its prognostic impact.

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