Objective: To investigate the relationship between promoter methylation of inhibitor of DNA binding 4 (Id4) gene and acute leukemia.
Methods: We detected the status of promoter methylation of Id4 gene in peripheral blood, peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSC) and bone marrow samples from health donors, bone marrow cells from leukemia patients and leukemia cell lines with MS-PCR methods.
Results: The frequency of Id4 promoter methylation was 21/25 in acute myeloid leukemia (84%), 12/14 in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (86%), 8/8 in relapse acute leukemias and 2/2 in leukemia cell lines whereas no methylation was detected in peripheral blood, PBSC and bone marrow samples from healthy donors. In addition, Hek937 cell line was unmethylated.
Conclusion: Id4 promoter methylation was detected only in acute leukemia patients and leukemia cell lines and it might play a role in leukemia genesis.