OBJECTIVETo detect the expression of MCL-1 in patient with acute myeloid leukemia(AML) with normal karyotype and to investigate the relationship of its expression level with clinical parameters and prognosis.

METHODSThe expression of MCL-1 in the bone marrow from 37 newly diagnosed AML patients was measured by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR(FQ RT-PCR) and Western blot, and the relationship between its expression level and clinical parameters such as the age, sex, WBC count, Hb level, Plt count, blast ratio in BM, and sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs in vitro prognosis was analyzed.

RESULTSThe expression level of MCL-1 did not correlate with the age, sex, WBC count, Hb level, Plt count and the percentage of blast cells. There was no significant difference of MCL-1 expression in AML patients with or without extramedullary infiltration. The higher level of MCL-1 existed in AML patients who did not achieve complete remission with classical regimen. The resistant rate to chemotherapeutic drugs in vitro was higher in the patients with higher level of MCL-1.

CONCLUSIONOverexpression of MCL-1 is closely related with the resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs, and may be used as an early indicator for judging multi-drug resistance and prognosis of AML.