Changes of AML 1 and P53 tumor suppressor gene expression in patients de novo acute myeloid leukemia

Abstract

P53 and AML1are two important tumor suppressor genes in regulation of hematopoiesis with a critical role in keeping balance between proliferation and differentiation. Alternations in the expression of these genes can be resulted in malignancy. The present study investigated the expression levels of P53 and AML1 genes in 82 de novo AML patient specimens against normal control group using Real-Time-PCR. The results presented in this study revealed that AML1 gene expression was significantly higher and P53 gene expression levels was significantly lower in patients with AML in comparison with the normal control group (P = 0.016 and P = 0.002). Furthermore, the correlation between P53 and AML1 was significant and positive (P= 0.037 and r= 0.231). The lower levels of P53 expression were expected and in line with the normal role of this gene as a tumor suppressor gene, however AML1 over expression was in contrast with of its well-known role in myeloid maturation. However, This findings suggest that despite the current established role this genes in myeloid cell differentiation, oncogenic form of AML1 (AML1a) has possibly increased and high expression of this isoform may act as an inhibitor for other normal AML1 isoforms and P53 as well.