International Journal of Hematology and Oncology 2024, Vol 34, Num 3 Page(s): 072-080
MicroRNA Expression Profiles and Changes with Treatment on Childhood Leukemias

Funda AKPINAR1, Aziz POLAT2, Yasemin Isik BALCI3, Hakan AKCA4, Hande SENOL5, Onur TOKGUN4

1Ankara University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Division, Ankara
2Isparta Private Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Division, Isparta
3Private Tekden Hospitals, Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology Division, Denizli
4Pamukkale University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Genetics, Denizli
5Pamukkale University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biostatistics, Denizli, TURKEY

Keywords: microRNA, Childhood leukemias
MicroRNAs are non-protein coding RNAs that have recently been revealed to be effective in cancer biogenesis which effect posttranscriptional gene modification. The incidence of childhood hematologic cancers is increasing. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between miRNA expression and its prognosis in childhood leukemias. Twenty-one patients and 5 healthy control subjects were included in the study. Out of 26 subjects, 15 were patients diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), 6 were patients diagnosed with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) and 5 were healthy control subjects. Peripheral venous samples were collected from the patients before and 1 month after chemotherapy and their miRNA analyses were performed. Decreased expressions of let-7b, miR-31, miR-128-1, miR-218, miR-331, miR-372, miR-375, miR-422, miR-451 and miR-520 were found in patients with AL compared to the healthy control subjects. While the expression of miR-375 decreased in patients with ALL, the expressions of miR-21, miR-222, miR-30, miR-145, miR-146a and miR-155 increased. While the expression of miR-155 increased in patients with AML, the expressions of miR-10, miR-23, miR-218, miR-422 and miR-451 decreased. It was also found that while the expressions of miR-204,miR-7,miR-10, miR-30, miR-155, miR-192, miR-422, miR-451,miR-520, miR-548, miR-375, miR-1, miR-23 and miR- 146a increased in patients with leukemia after the treatment, the expressions of let-7b and miR-132 decreased. A positive correlation was found between leukocyte count of patients with leukemia before the treatment and the expressions of miR-128-1 and miR-331 among miRNAs that changed after the treatment. MiRNAs play role in the pathogenesis, treatment response, relapse and prognosis of hematologic malignancies.