Document Type : Original Article
Authors
- Ali Memarian 1
- Mahmood Jeddi Tehrani 2, 3
- Parvaneh Vossough 4
- Ramazan Ali Sharifian 5
- Hodjatallah Rabbani 3, 6
- Fazel Shokri 1, 7
1 Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Medical Sciences / University of Tehran
2 Monoclonal Antibody Research Center, Avesina Research Institute, Tehran, Iran
3 Immune and Gene Therapy Lab, Cancer Center Karolinska, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
4 Clinic of Hematology, Ali-Asghar Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences
5 Clinic of Hematology and Oncology, Vali-Asr Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Sciences / University of Tehran
6 Nanobiotechnology Research Center, Avesina Research Institute
7 National Cell Bank of Iran, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Background: Wnt molecules play a key role in growth, proliferation and development of some embryonic and adult organs as well as hematopoietic stem cells. Wnt signaling pathways are aberrantly activated in many tumor types, including solid tumors and hematologic malignancies.
Objective: To investigate the expression profile of a large number of Wnt genes in leukemic cells from Iranian patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia.
Methods: RT-PCR method was used to determine the Wnt genes expression in bone marrow (BM) and/or peripheral blood (PB) samples from 16 patients with AML and PB samples of 36 normal subjects.
Results: Among 14 Wnt molecules included in this study, Wnt-7A and Wnt-10A were significantly down-regulated (p = 0.002 and p < 0.0001, respectively) and Wnt-3 was significantly over-expressed (p < 0.02) in AML patients compared to normal subjects. No significant association was found between Wnt expression and FAB classification of the patients.
Conclusion: Our results demonstrated for the first time aberrant expression of Wnt-7A, Wnt-10A and Wnt-3 genes in Iranian AML patients. This may be of relevance to the tumorigenesis process in this malignancy.
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