Objective: To evaluate the relationship between lrp, mrp, mdr-1/p170 and multidrug resistance in acute leukemia (AL).
Methods: 85 AL patients were divided into three groups: untreated (A), complete remission (B) and relapsed/refractory (C). The expression of lrp, mrp and mdr-1 mRNA was detected with RT-PCR assay and that of p170 measured with immunocytochemistry.
Results: The frequency of lrp gene expression in ANLL A, B and C group was 11.11%, 9.09% and 36.36%, in ALL A, B, C group it was 0%, 20.00% and 46.67%; the frequency of mrp gene expression in ANLL A, B, C group was 44.44%, 9.09% and 59.09%, in ALL A, B, C group it was 28.57%, 20.00% and 53. 33%; the frequency of mdr-1 gene expression in ANLL A, B, C group was 0%, 4.54% and 59.09%, in ALL A, B, C group it was 0%, 0% and 33.33%; p170 expression in ANLL C group was (9.45 +/- 14.66) %, it was the highest value in the three groups; statistics showed that there was no correlationship among the expressions of lrp, mrp and mdr-1 gene, P > 0.05; patients with lrp and mdr-1 expression had a lower complete remission (CR) percentage than those who had not in the untreated group; the combination of lrp, mrp and mdr-1 gene detection turned out to be a more sensitive, specific and accurate way in evaluation of multidrug resistance (MDR).
Conclusion: Overexpression of one or more genes of lrp, mrp and mdr-1/p170 is associated with MDR in AL. Expression of lrp, mrp and mdr-1/p170 is good indicators in clinical MDR. Two or three factors of lrp, mrp and mdr-1 are more valuable in the evaluation of MDR than any one of these three factors. The mechanisms of mrp, lrp and mdr-1 causing MDR are different, it means that the mechanisms of MDR are complicated the combination of lrp, mrp and mdr-1/p170 detection may be the best way to evaluate MDR.