Objective: To quantify the expression level of GRAF gene in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and analyze its clinical significance.
Methods: The EvaGreen real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RQ-PCR) assay was established and performed to measure the GRAF gene transcripts in 71 cases with AML and 21 with nonmalignant hematological diseases. The clinical correlation of GRAF expression was analyzed.
Results: The established EvaGreen RQ-PCR assay had good specificity, reproducibility and sensitivity. The GRAF expression level was significantly lower in AML (0.01%-169.75%, median 3.82%) than that in controls (14.49%-126.85%, median 56.04%) (P<0.05). There was no correlation between the level of GRAF transcript and the sex, age, hematologic parameters, FAB subtypes and karyotypic groups (P>0.05).
Conclusion: The GRAF gene was down-regulated in AML, which might play a role in the leukemogenesis.