The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of histone demethylase lysine specific demethylase1 (LSD1) in patients with acute leukemia (AL) and its clinical significance. LSD1 protein expression level was detected by semi-quantitative Western blot in HL-60 and SHI-1 leukemia cell line, in bone marrow mononuclear cells of acute AL patients with different condition [new diagnosis, complete remission (CR) and relapse] and in patients with non malignant hematopathy (control). Clinical data of AL patient followed up was collected. The relationship of LSD1 expression level with clinical prognosis was analyzed. The results showed that in HL-60 and SHI-1 leukemia cell line, LSD1 expression was strong positive, relative amount (LSD1/β-actin gray level rate) was 4.647 ± 3.840 and 1.628 ± 0.185 (n = 4) respectively. In 72 AL patients, LSD1 expression levels were quite different. LSD1 positive rate was 56.9% (41/72), average relative amount was 1.053 ± 1.976. In 17 controls, LSD1 positive rate was 0%, relative amount was 0.004 ± 0.012. The LSD1 positive rate in newly diagnosed AML or ALL group (90.4%, 77.8%) and refractory/relapse AML or ALL group (100%, 100%) was higher than that in AML or ALL CR group (4.7%, 0%) (p = 0.000), relative amount of LSD1 showed no statistically difference between newly diagnosed AML and ALL groups (1.177 ± 1.646, 1.275 ± 1.845) or refractory/relapse group (2.050 ± 2.470, 4.107 ± 3.676) and CR group (0.029 ± 0.033, 0.019 ± 0.024) (p > 0.05). In all AL patients, LSD1 positive rate in newly diagnosed (84.6%) and refractory/relapse groups (100%) was higher than that in CR group (3.8%). LSD1 relative amount in newly diagnosed group (1.274 ± 1.760), refractory/relapse group (3.359 ± 3.319) and CR group (0.027 ± 0.031) was higher than that in control group (p < 0.01), and in refractory/relapse group was higher than that in newly diagnosed group and CR group (p < 0.01), in newly diagnosed group was higher than that in CR group (p < 0.01). It is concluded that overexpression of LSD1 is correlated with refractory or relapse in AL. LSD1 expression level can reflect disease status of AL patients and may be a predictive biomarker for unfavourable prognosis of AL.
HL-60 Cells ; Histone Demethylases ; metabolism ; Humans ; Leukemia ; metabolism ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; metabolism ; Recurrence

Autophagy is a conservative self-degradation system in eukaryotic cells, which involves in multiple physiologic and pathologic processes. Autophagosome is a typical characteristics of autophagic process, and its formation and degradation are the key points to control autophagy. Due to its dual characteristics to promote survival and death, to some extent, autophagy determines cell fate for survival or die. Autophagy plays important roles in cancer development, metastasis and drug-resistance. Thus targeting autophagy may provide novel strategies for treating cancer and overcoming drug resistance. With the advances of study on autophagy regulation in leukemia cells, the novel therapeutic targets and strategies to cure leukemia will be developed. This review focuses autophagy characteristics and regulation, autophagy and tumor, autophagy and leukemias as well as autophagy regulation in leukemia cells.
Autophagy ; Humans ; Leukemia ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction

Humans ; Ferroptosis ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/metabolism*

The study was purposed to investigate the expression of CD73 on bone marrow nucleated cells (BMMNC) in various leukemia subtypes and its relationship with cell differentiation of leukemia. Immunocytochemistry staining and Wright-Giemsa staining of BMMNC from 75 cases of leukemia, 11 cases of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), 13 cases of non-leukemic patients and 9 healthy adults were performed, and the CD73(+) ratio in BMMNC and its relationship with differentiation of leukemia cells were analyzed. The results showed that the ratios of CD73(+) in BMMNC of com-B ALL, pre-B ALL and PLL were significantly higher than those in B-CLL (p < 0.05). CD73(+) ratios in AML subtypes of M(1), M(2a), t (8; 21), t (15; 17), M(4) and M(5) were markedly higher than those in MDS respectively, but in M(6) and MDS were lower and had no statistical difference between them. CD73(+) ratios in T-ALL, B-CLL, M(6), MDS, non-leukemia patients and healthy adults were close to each other and all of them were lower than those in B-ALL and other AML subtypes. It is concluded that the expression of CD73 is associated with leukemia subtype, differentiation and development. The higher differentiation of leukemia cells, the lower of CD73 expression in myeloid and B lymphoid leukemia, but T-ALL does not meet this pattern.
5'-Nucleotidase ; metabolism ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Cell Differentiation ; Humans ; Leukemia ; metabolism ; pathology ; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell ; metabolism ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; metabolism ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; metabolism ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo highlight the current understanding of mixed phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL).

DATA SOURCESWe collected the relevant articles in PubMed (from 1985 to present), using the terms "mixed phenotype acute leukemia", "hybrid acute leukemia", "biphenotypic acute leukemia", and "mixed lineage leukemia". We also collected the relevant studies in WanFang Data base (from 2000 to present), using the terms "mixed phenotype acute leukemia" and "hybrid acute leukemia".

STUDY SELECTIONWe included all relevant studies concerning mixed phenotype acute leukemia in English and Chinese version, with no limitation of research design. The duplicated articles are excluded.

RESULTSMPAL is a rare subgroup of acute leukemia which expresses the myeloid and lymphoid markers simultaneously. The clinical manifestations of MPAL are similar to other acute leukemias. The World Health Organization classification and the European Group for Immunological classification of Leukaemias 1998 criteria are most widely used. MPAL does not have a standard therapy regimen. Its treatment depends mostly on the patient's unique immunophenotypic and cytogenetic features, and also the experience of individual physician. The lack of effective treatment contributes to an undesirable prognosis.

CONCLUSIONOur understanding about MPAL is still limited. The diagnostic criteria have not been unified. The treatment of MPAL remains to be investigated. The prognostic factor is largely unclear yet. A better diagnostic criteria and targeted therapeutics will improve the therapy effect and a subsequently better prognosis.

Humans ; Leukemia, Biphenotypic, Acute ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; MicroRNAs ; metabolism

The aim of this study was to explore the distinct protein profiles of different subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), including M(1), M(2), M(3) and acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) by differential proteomic expression analysis. The proteins of bone marrow leukemia cells from AML and ALL patients were separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE). 2-DE patterns were analyzed by PDQuest 7.4 software and the differentially expressed proteins were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and bioinformatics. The results indicated that 21 differentially expressed proteins were found by 2-DE and 15 were identified by MS to be significantly differentially expressed. In AML, seven proteins were highly expressed such as MPO, PRDX3, CALR and ECH1 and so on, and eight proteins were highly expressed in ALL, including ARHGDIB, PFN1 and ACTG1 and so on. It is concluded that the distinct protein profiles between AML and ALL have been proved. It may be helpful for the identification of new targets for specific treatment approaches and the molecular markers for the early diagnosis of leukemia.
Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; metabolism ; Peptide Mapping ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; metabolism ; Proteome ; Proteomics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of cell surface E-cadherin in leukemia cell and the correlation of cell membrane localization of beta-catenin with E-cadherin expression.

METHODSBone marrow samples from 46 patients with acute leukemia and 17 normal donors were analyzed. Cell surface expression of E-cadherin and membrane localization of beta-catenin were labeled by immunofluorescence and analyzed with a laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscope in 14 specimens.

RESULTSCell surface E-cadherin expression level was significantly lower in leukemia cells (with the median fluorescent intensity of 16.78) than in normal hematopoietic progenitors (26.03). Correlation analysis showed that cell membrane localization of beta-catenin was correlated with E-cadherin expression (r = 0.74, P = 0.002). After E-cadherin was induced to express in leukemic cell by 5-Aza-CdR, membranous expression of beta-catenin was elevated while the nuclear expression reduced, indicating that E-cadherin-mediated adhesions could recruit beta-catenin to cell membrane.

CONCLUSIONThe loss of E-cadherin in leukemia cells may result in beta-catenin translocating to the nuclear and transcriptional activation of its target genes.

Cadherins ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Cell Membrane ; metabolism ; Humans ; Leukemia ; metabolism ; pathology ; beta Catenin ; metabolism

CD47, also known as integrin-associated protein (IAP), is an immunoglobulin-like protein. It can inhibit the phagocytosis of macrophages through binding with signal-regulatory protein alpha chain of inhibitory receptor on macrophage (SIRPα). The expression of CD47 on normal hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) is useful for maintaining the stability of HSCs in body, but the high expression of CD47 existed on leukemia stem cell (LSCs) of AML patients which can reduce the macrophage-induced phagocytosis to LSCs and decrease the clearance of innate immune system of organism to LSCs. In this article, the expression and function of CD47 on HSCs and LSCs as well as the role of CD47 in the prognosis and target therapy of AML are reviewed.
CD47 Antigen ; metabolism ; Humans ; Leukemia ; metabolism ; Macrophages ; metabolism ; Neoplastic Stem Cells ; metabolism ; Phagocytosis

OBJECTIVERecent studies have suggested that there is a close relation between microRNA and acute leukemia (AL). The aim of this study was to investigate and better understand the classification and diagnosis of AL as well as pathogenesis and prognosis of this disease.

METHODSA total of 93 children with AL and and 12 cases of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (as control group) were enrolled in this study. Microarray chip analysis of their bone marrow samples was conducted to evaluate the microRNA profiles. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed for validating the abnormal expression of microRNA.

RESULTSThe microRNA expression profiles were different between acute granulocytic leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia and also between the three subtypes (M1, M2 and M3) of acute granulocytic leukemia according to FAB classification based on leukemic cell differentiation. These three subtypes of leukemia could be identified by unsupervised hierarchical cluster analysis of microRNA expression and had specific up-regulation of miR-335, miR-126 and miR-125b, respectively. However, in the M2 and M3 subtypes with positive AML1-ETO and PML-RARα, respectively, which have a better prognosis, the expressions of miR-126 and miR-125b were significantly higher than those with negative AML1-ETO and PML-RARα. Further more, miR-335 and miR-146 were up-regulated in acute granulocytic leukemia observed in this study, which are different from those reported for adult patients.

CONCLUSIONSmicroRNA cascade may serve as new biomarkers for the classification and diagnosis of pediatric AL. It is also suggested that there might be different pathogenesis and prognosis between AL types related to specific expression and regulation of microRNA.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Infant ; Leukemia, Myeloid ; classification ; genetics ; metabolism ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; genetics ; metabolism ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; metabolism ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of annexin II (AnnII) and the fibrinolytic activity in NB4 cells and their alterations in the presence of arsenic trioxide (ATO) and daunorubicin (DNR).

METHODSLeukemia cell line NB4 was treated with ATO or DNR for 24 ∼ 72 h. Cell surface expression of AnnII and its mRNA were analysed by flow cytometry and real time PCR, respectively, the fibrinolytic activity by chromogenic assay.

RESULTSCompared with other acute leukemia cell lines, the expression of AnnII on untreated NB4 cells was relatively higher. The AnnII positive cell rates on NB4, HL-60, K562, and A3 cells were (94.5 ± 1.6)%, (40.1 ± 2.1)%, (36.3 ± 1.5)% and (11.8 ± 2.5)%, respectively. The fibrinolytic activity of NB4 cells was the greatest with a A value of 0.68 ± 0.02. The fibrinolytic activity of NB4 cells was obviously decreased by ATO, DNR or monoclonal antibody against AnnII, being decreased by 60.4%, 35.8% and 26.0% of the pretreatment level, respectively. The expressions of AnnII and its mRNA in NB4 cells were decreased dramatically after ATO and DNR treated for 48 h. Annexin II positive cells rate were (55.46 ± 4.72)% and (27.00 ± 6.18)%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONNB4 cells have strong ability to enhance the catalytic efficiency of the t-PA-dependent plasminogen activation and AnnII on the cell membrane contributes to this activity. Its high fibrinolytic activity can be corrected by ATO and DNR through down-regulating AnnII.

Annexin A2 ; Apoptosis ; Daunorubicin ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Leukemia ; metabolism