The Gene Expression Levels of ETS2, ADAM28, and GPRC5D Genes in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Patients

Farnoush  Farokhian; Nader  Cohan; Mani  Ramzi; Elham  Abedi; Farzaneh  Fakhraei; Shirin  Parand; Reyhane  Khademi; Mohamad  Moghadam

doi:10.18502/ijpho.v15i1.17279

Farnoush Farokhian Hematology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Nader Cohan Hematology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Mani Ramzi Hematology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Elham Abedi Hematology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Farzaneh Fakhraei Hematology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Shirin Parand Hematology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Reyhane Khademi Thalassemia & Hemoglobinopathy Research Center, Health research institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
Mohamad Moghadam Hematology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijpho.v15i1.17279

Keywords: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, ADAM28, Biomarker, ETS2, Pathogenesis

Abstract

Background: Genetic biomarkers significantly influence the pathological differentiation and proliferation of lymphoid precursor cells, contributing to the development of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in children. This case-control study aimed to assess the expression levels of three potential biomarkers: ETS2, ADAM28, and GPRC5D, in patients with ALL.

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a group of ALL patients (n=65) referred to the hematology-oncology departments of Nemazee Hospital and Amir Hospital in Shiraz, Iran, from May 2018 to May 2021 were selected as the patient group. A control group (n=65) of age- and gender-matched volunteers was also selected.

Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to study the expression profiles of these genes in patients and compare the results to those of a control group. The study included 65 patients with ALL and 65 healthy participants. The Pfaffl method of relative quantification, which compares the threshold cycle of a constitutive gene (TBP) with the test gene of each sample in duplicate, was used to determine the relative levels of ETS2, ADAM28, and GPRC5D gene expression. SPSS software version 16 was used for statistical analysis. Nonparametric tests were used to analyze non-normally distributed data, and the Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the medians and ranges and a p-value of 0.05 was considered significant.

Results: The patient group showed significantly greater expression of the ETS2 and ADAM28 genes compared to the control group. (P <0.0001; fold changes of 2.80 and 2.14, respectively), while GPRC5D expression remained unchanged (P >0.05).

Conclusion: These genetic biomarkers in patients with ALL may play an oncogenic role in the pathogenesis of the disease and could serve as potential novel biomarkers for ALL.