OBJECTIVETo detect the presence of p15 antisense RNA(p15AS) in acute myeloid leukemia(AML).

METHODSp15AS and p15 mRNA in two leukemia cell lines was detected with strand-specific primer RT-qPCR. To explore the connection between p15AS and AML, 43 patients with newly diagnosed AML and 21 patients with benign diseases (Iron deficiency anemia) as controls were enrolled. The expression level of p15AS in bone marrow cells derived from the patients and the controls were determined by strand-specific primer RT-qPCR, and its relationship with clinical features was analyzed.

RESULTSThe two AML lines displayed high p15AS and low p15 expression. Samples derived from the AML patients showed relatively increased expression of p15AS and down-regulated p15 expression in their bone cells. In contrast, the 21 controls showed high expression of p15 but relatively low expression of the p15AS. Compared with the normal controls, the expression levels of p15 protein were significantly lower among the AML patients (P<0.01). No relationships were detected between the level of p15AS and the patient's age, gender, FAB subtype, total white blood cell count, platelet count, proliferative degree of bone marrow cell and karyotype classification (P>0.05 for all comparisons).

CONCLUSIONHigh expression of p15 antisense RNA was frequently found among AML patients, and may play an important role in epigenetic silencing of p15.