Objective: To explore PTEN gene expression and its clinical significance in acute leukemia.
Methods: The expression levels of PTEN mRNA in 5 leukemia cell lines, 87 patients with acute leukemias (AL), including 59 acute myeloid leukemia (AML), 26 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and 2 acute hybrid leukemia, 21 AL in complete remission (AL-CR), 31 chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and 14 normal controls were assayed by RT-PCR.
Results: PTEN mRNA was detected in K562 cell line, but not in Kasumi-1, HL-60, U937, Nalm-6 cell lines. The expression ratio of PTEN mRNA between CML (61.29%) and normal control (78.57%) had no statistical difference (P > 0.05). The expression ratios of PTEN mRNA in AL (18.39%) and AL-CR (42.86%) were significantly lower than that in normal control (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively), AL also has a lower expression ratio than that of AL-CR (P < 0.05). The decreased level of PTEN mRNA had a positive correlation with poor-prognostic factors (high white blood cell count of > or = 20 x 10(9)/L and chromosome abnormality).
Conclusion: There is down-regulated expression of PTEN gene in AL. PTEN gene may play a role in leukemogenesis.