1.MicroRNA expression in antiphospholipid syndrome: a systematic review and microRNA target genes analysis
Suhiman Muhammad Shazwan ; Mohamad Muhammad Aliff ; Ahmad Asnawi Asral Wirda ; Abdul Rahman Hayati ; Masri Maizatul Azma ; Abdul Rahim Nur Syahrina ; Abdul Hamid Nazefah ; Sathar Jameela ; Mohd Manzor Nur Fariha
The Malaysian Journal of Pathology 2016;38(3):273-283
Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) are autoantibodies that attack phospholipid through anti-beta
2-glycoprotein 1. The actions of aPL are associated with events leading to thrombosis and morbidity
in pregnancy. Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is diagnosed when a patient is persistently positive
for aPL and also has recognised clinical manifestations such as recurrent pregnancy losses, arterial
or venous thrombosis and in a catastrophic case, can result in death. Unfortunately, the pathogenesis
of APS is still not well established. Recently, microRNA expressed in many types of diseased
tissues were claimed to be involved in the pathological progression of diseases and has become a
useful biomarker to indicate diseases, including APS. Objective: This systematic review aims to
search for research papers that are focussing on microRNA expression profiles in APS. Method:
Three search engines (Ebcohost, ProQuest and Ovid) were used to identify papers related to
expression of specific microRNA in antiphospholipid syndrome. Results and Discussion: A total of
357 papers were found and screened, out of which only one study fulfilled the requirement. In this
particular study blood samples from APS patients were tested. The microRNAs found to be related
to APS were miR-19b and miR-20a. No data was found on specific microRNA being expressed in
obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome. Analysis on the microRNA target genes revealed that most
genes targeted by miR-19b and miR-20a involve in TGF-Beta Signalling and VEGF, hypoxia and
angiogenesis pathways. Conclusion: In view of the limited data on the expressions of microRNA
in APS we recommend further research into this field. Characterization of microRNA profile in
blood as well as in placenta tissue of patients with APS could be useful in identifying microRNAs
involved in obstetric APS.
2.Impact of timely BCR-ABL1 monitoring before allogeneic stem cell transplantation among patients with BCR-ABL1-positive B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Siew Lian CHONG ; Asral Wirda AHMAD ASNAWI ; Tze Shin LEONG ; Jenq Tzong TAN ; Kian Boon LAW ; Siong Leng HON ; Rui Jeat FANN ; Sen Mui TAN
Blood Research 2021;56(3):175-183
Background:
With the emergence of tyrosine kinase inhibitors and the incorporation of stringent measurable residual disease (MRD) monitoring, risk stratification for BCR-ABL1-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients has changed significantly. However, whether this monitoring can replace conventional risk factors in determining whether patients need allogeneic stem cell transplantation is still unclear. This study aimed to determine the impact of BCR-ABL1 monitoring on the outcome of patients with BCR-ABL1-positive ALL after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
Methods:
We retrospectively analyzed the survival outcome of patients with BCR-ABL1-positive ALL based on the quantification of BCR-ABL1 at 3 timepoints: the end of induction (timepoint 1), post-consolidation week 16 (timepoint 2), and the end of treatment for patients who were either transplant-eligible or non-transplant eligible (timepoint 3).
Results:
From 2006 to 2018, a total of 96 patients newly diagnosed with BCR-ABL1-positive ALL were treated with chemotherapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Thirty-eight (41.3%) patients achieved complete remission, and 33 patients underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Our data showed that pre-transplant MRD monitoring by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction had the highest correlation with survival in patients with BCR-ABL1-positive ALL, especially for those who underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
Conclusion
Patients without MRD pre-transplantation had superior survival compared with those who had MRD, and they had excellent long-term outcomes after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
3.Impact of timely BCR-ABL1 monitoring before allogeneic stem cell transplantation among patients with BCR-ABL1-positive B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Siew Lian CHONG ; Asral Wirda AHMAD ASNAWI ; Tze Shin LEONG ; Jenq Tzong TAN ; Kian Boon LAW ; Siong Leng HON ; Rui Jeat FANN ; Sen Mui TAN
Blood Research 2021;56(3):175-183
Background:
With the emergence of tyrosine kinase inhibitors and the incorporation of stringent measurable residual disease (MRD) monitoring, risk stratification for BCR-ABL1-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients has changed significantly. However, whether this monitoring can replace conventional risk factors in determining whether patients need allogeneic stem cell transplantation is still unclear. This study aimed to determine the impact of BCR-ABL1 monitoring on the outcome of patients with BCR-ABL1-positive ALL after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
Methods:
We retrospectively analyzed the survival outcome of patients with BCR-ABL1-positive ALL based on the quantification of BCR-ABL1 at 3 timepoints: the end of induction (timepoint 1), post-consolidation week 16 (timepoint 2), and the end of treatment for patients who were either transplant-eligible or non-transplant eligible (timepoint 3).
Results:
From 2006 to 2018, a total of 96 patients newly diagnosed with BCR-ABL1-positive ALL were treated with chemotherapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Thirty-eight (41.3%) patients achieved complete remission, and 33 patients underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Our data showed that pre-transplant MRD monitoring by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction had the highest correlation with survival in patients with BCR-ABL1-positive ALL, especially for those who underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
Conclusion
Patients without MRD pre-transplantation had superior survival compared with those who had MRD, and they had excellent long-term outcomes after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.