Abstract:

Objective    To investigate the expression of ATP-binding cassette transporter A3 (ABCA3) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and to explore its clinical significance. Method    ① Bone marrow mononuclear cells from 33 newly diagnosed， 13 relapse/refractory AML patients and 10 normal controls were analyzed, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of ABCA3 mRNA, and the data was used to analyze the expression pattern of ABCA3 in different groups; ② According to their response of chemotherapy, the newly diagnosed AML patients was divided into two groups, complete remission group and noncomplete remission group, levels of ABCA3 expression between the two groups were compared; ③ Analyze the relevance of ABCA3 expression and clinical variables (including the initial number of WBC, immunophenotype, FAB subtypes ect). Results    The levels of ABCA3 expression were significantly higher in newly diagnosed and relapse/refractory AML patients than in normal controls (P＜0.01), and were higher in relapse/refractory AML patients than in newly diagnosed(P<0.05). Compared to noncomplete remission group, the levels of ABCA3 expression in complete remission group were lower（P＜0.05）. The levels of ABCA3 expression in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)-blastic phase were higher than other FAB subtypes of AML (P＜0.05, except M3). The expression of ABCA3 had no relationship with the initial number of WBC, the blast percentages, immunophenotype, gender and age. Conclusion    The expression of the ABCA3 gene was closely related to the multidrug resistance and prognosis of AML.

Key words: Leukemia; Drug Resistance, Multiple; ATPbinding cassette transporter A3; Prognosis