MicroRNA-206 as a Novel Potential Prognostic Biomarker for Distinguishing Philadelphia Chromosome-Positive and Negative ALL Patients

Zahra  Mohammadi; Mehdi Allahbakhshian  Farsani; Mohammad Javad  Mousavi; Leila  Tahmasbi; Narges  Obeidi; Seyyed Amin  Mohammadi; Raziyeh  Jalakani; Gholamreza  Khamisipour

doi:10.18502/ijhoscr.v20i2.21775

Zahra Mohammadi Department of Hematology, School of Para-Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
Mehdi Allahbakhshian Farsani Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, Faculty of Allied Medical, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mohammad Javad Mousavi Department of Hematology, School of Para-Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
Leila Tahmasbi Department of Hematology, School of Para-Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
Narges Obeidi Department of Hematology, School of Para-Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
Seyyed Amin Mohammadi Department of Hematology, School of Para-Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
Raziyeh Jalakani Department of Hematology, School of Para-Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
Gholamreza Khamisipour Department of Hematology, School of Para-Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijhoscr.v20i2.21775

Keywords: Micro-RNA; Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL); miR-206; miR-320a; Philadelphia chromosome; Biomarker

Abstract

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of small non-coding RNAs that control protein-coding gene expression, and alterations in their expression are associated with leukemic changes in hematopoietic cells. The current study was performed on bone marrow samples from Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) and Philadelphia chromosome-negative (Ph−) ALL patients to assess miR-320a and miR-206, as well as their relationship with the prognosis of ALL.

Materials and Methods: miR-206 and miR-320a expression levels were assessed using Real-Time PCR in 50 bone marrow specimens from 10 healthy individuals (as a control group), 20 Ph+ ALL patients, and 20 Ph- ALL patients. The data were analyzed using GraphPad Prism version 7, one-way ANOVA, and Chi-square tests.

Results: The present study reports on the differential expression of miR-206 in Ph- and Ph+ ALL groups in comparison to normal individuals. The Ph- ALL group exhibited a significant 3.8-fold reduction in expression (P = 0.004), while the Ph+ ALL group demonstrated a noteworthy 5.34-fold increase in expression (P = 0.006) relative to the control group, although no statistically significant differences were observed in the comparison of miR-320a expression between Ph+ and Ph- patients (P = 0.496 and P = 0.645, respectively). Data analysis showed no relationship between age, sex, and miRNA expression.

Conclusion: MiR-206 showed a different expression pattern, and it seems that this miRNA was upregulated in Ph+ ALL and downregulated in Ph- ALL patients, and may serve as a potential prognostic and diagnostic biomarker for distinguishing between the two ALL groups.