Use of the International System for Human Cytogenetic Nomenclature (ISCN)

Development and characterization of a poloxamer hydrogel composed of human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) for reepithelization of skin injuries

Wound healing is a natural physiological reaction to tissue injury. Hydrogels show attractive advantages in wound healing not only due to their biodegradability, biocompatibility and permeability but also because provide an excellent environment for cell migration and proliferation. The main objective of the present study was the design and characterization of a hydrogel loaded with human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) for use in would healing of superficial skin injures. Poloxamer 407® was used as biocompatible biomaterial to embed hMSCs. The developed hydrogel containing 20 % (w/w) of polymer resulted in the best formulation with respect to physical, mechanical, morphological and biological properties. Its high swelling capacity confirmed the hydrogel's capacity to absorb wounds' exudate. LIVE/DEAD® assay confirm that hMSCs remained viable for at least 48 h when loaded into the hydrogels. Adding increasing concentrations of hMSCs-loaded hydrogel to the epithelium did not affect keratinocytes' viability and healing capacity and all wound area was closed in less than one day. Our study opens opportunities to exploit poloxamer hydrogels as cell carriers for the treatment of skin superficial wound.

Trichostatin A for Efficient CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Genome-edited human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have broad applications in disease modeling, drug discovery, and regenerative medicine. Despite the development of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9 system, the gene editing process is inefficient and can take several weeks to months to generate edited iPSC clones. We developed a strategy to improve the efficiency of the iPSC gene editing process via application of a small-molecule, trichostatin A (TSA), a Class I and II histone deacetylase inhibitor. We observed that TSA decreased global chromatin condensation and further resulted in increased gene-editing efficiency of iPSCs by twofold to fourfold while concurrently ensuring no increased off-target effects. The edited iPSCs could be clonally expanded while maintaining genomic integrity and pluripotency. The rapid generation of therapeutically relevant gene-edited iPSCs could be enabled by these findings.

Vitamin C Deficiency in Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Vitamin C has been shown to play a significant role in suppressing progression of leukemia through epigenetic mechanisms. We aimed to study the role of vitamin C in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) biology and clinical course. To this purpose, the plasma levels of vitamin C at diagnosis in 62 patients with AML (including 5 cases with acute promyelocytic leukemia, APL),7 with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and in 15 healthy donors (HDs) were studied. As controls, vitamins A and E levels were analysed. Expression of the main vitamin C transporters and of the TET2 enzyme were investigated by a specific RQ-PCR while cytoplasmic vitamin C concentration and its uptake were studied in mononuclear cells (MNCs), lymphocytes and blast cells purified from AML samples, and MNCs isolated from HDs. There were no significant differences in vitamin A and E serum levels between patients and HDs. Conversely, vitamin C concentration was significantly lower in AML as compared to HDs (p<0.0001), inversely correlated with peripheral blast‐counts (p=0.029), significantly increased at the time of complete remission (CR) (p=0.04) and further decreased in resistant disease (p=0.002). Expression of the main vitamin C transporters SLC23A2, SLC2A1 and SLC2A3 was also significantly reduced in AML compared to HDs. In this line, cytoplasmic vitamin C levels were also significantly lower in AML-MNCs versus HDs, and in sorted blasts compared to normal lymphocytes in individual patients. No association was found between vitamin C plasma levels and the mutation profile of AML patients, as well as when considering cytogenetics or 2017 ELN risk stratification groups. Finally, vitamin C levels did not play a predictive role for overall or relapse-free survival. In conclusion, our study shows that vitamin C levels are significantly decreased in patients with AML at the time of initial diagnosis, further decrease during disease progression and return to normal upon achievement of CR. Correspondingly, low intracellular levels may mirror increased vitamin C metabolic consumption in proliferating AML cells.

Label-Free Imaging to Track Reprogramming of Human Somatic Cells

The process of reprogramming patient samples to human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is stochastic, asynchronous, and inefficient, leading to a heterogeneous population of cells. In this study, we track the reprogramming status of patient-derived erythroid progenitor cells (EPCs) at the single-cell level during reprogramming with label-free live-cell imaging of cellular metabolism and nuclear morphometry to identify high-quality iPSCs. EPCs isolated from human peripheral blood of three donors were used for our proof-of-principle study. We found distinct patterns of autofluorescence lifetime for the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (phosphate) and flavin adenine dinucleotide during reprogramming. Random forest models classified iPSCs with ∼95% accuracy, which enabled the successful isolation of iPSC lines from reprogramming cultures. Reprogramming trajectories resolved at the single-cell level indicated significant reprogramming heterogeneity along different branches of cell states. This combination of micropatterning, autofluorescence imaging, and machine learning provides a unique, real-time, and nondestructive method to assess the quality of iPSCs in a biomanufacturing process, which could have downstream impacts in regenerative medicine, cell/gene therapy, and disease modeling.

Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia with the KMT2A-Mixed Lineage Leukemia T10 Fusion: An Analysis of 10 Cases Showed Common Features and Frequent Mutations in the RAS Signaling Pathway

Mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) T10 is a relatively rare partner for the KMT2A lysine (K)-specific methyltransferase 2A gene. The common features and coexisting mutations of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with KMT2A-MLLT10 remain unknown. In this study, 10 adult AML patients with KMT2A-MLLT10 fusions were picked up from 496 AML patients by using RT-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and/or fluorescence in situ hybridization, and then screened for mutations in the 49 genes panel with next-generation sequencing and PCR, followed by direct Sanger sequencing. Of the 10 unique individuals identified, 6 were male and 4 were female (M:F ratio, 1.5:1) with ages ranging from 19 to 52 years (median 39.5 years). Most (90%, 9/10) patients with KMT2A-MLLT10 were accompanied by additional mutations. Twelve mutated genes were detected, averaging 2.1 mutations per patient (range, 0-4). The most frequently mutated gene was NRAS (n = 5). Clinical and laboratory data pointed to common features: French American British-M5 subtype (n = 7), a high rate of relapse, and biomarkers CD33 (n = 10), CD117 (n = 9), CD13 (n = 8), and CD64 (n = 8). Overall, most patients harbored at least one mutation. A high incidence of mutations affecting the RAS signaling pathway or RAS regulating components was found in 50% (5/10) patients. The overall survival is about 12.0 months. Allogeneic-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation trends to improve survival in selected patients.

Downregulation of Renal MRPs Transporters in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Mediated by the IL-6/STAT3/PXR Signaling Pathway

Purpose

Considering prior investigations on reductions of renal multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) 2 and 4 transporters in mice with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), we sought to characterize the underlying mechanisms responsible for IL-6/STAT3/PXR-mediated changes in the expression of MRP2 and MRP4 in ALL.

Subjects and Methods

ALL xenograft models were established and intravenously injected with methotrexate (MTX) of MRPs substrate in NOD/SCID mice. Protein expression of MRPs and associated mechanisms were detected by Western blotting and immunocytochemistry. Plasma concentrations of MTX were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS).

Results

Plasma IL-6 levels in patients with newly diagnosed ALL were increased compared to children with pneumonia. Similarly, plasma IL-6 levels in ALL, ALL-tocilizumab (TCZ, an IL-6 receptor inhibitor) and ALL-S3I-201 (a selective inhibitor of STAT3) mice were increased compared to the control group. The MRP2, MRP4, and PXR expression in HK-2 cells treated with IL-6 were decreased, whereas the p-STAT3 expression was significantly increased compared to the control group results. These results are consistent with clearance of MRPs-mediated MTX in the ALL group. These effects were attenuated by blocking IL-6/STAT3/PXR signaling pathway.

Conclusion

Inflammation-mediated changes in pharmacokinetics are thought to be executed through pathways IL-6-activated pathways, which can facilitate a better understanding of the potential for the use of IL-6 to predict the severity of adverse outcomes and the major implications on potential ALL treatments.

4-Hydroxyphenyl Retinamide Preferentially Targets FLT3 Mutated Acute Myeloid Leukemia via ROS Induction and NF-κB Inhibition

FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) mutation is strongly associated with poor prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Though many FLT3 inhibitors have been developed for clinical application with 34%-56% complete remission rate, patients would develop resistance sooner or later after initial response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), such as gilteritinib. And increasing studies have shown that several resistance related mutations of FLT3 emerged during the AML progression. Thus, further investigation is warranted for these FLT3^mut AML patients to achieve a better treatment outcome. 4-Hydroxyphenyl retinamide (4-HPR) has been investigated extensively in animal models and clinical trials as an anticancer/chemopreventive agent and is currently used for protection against cancer development/recurrence, with minimal side effects. In this study, we performed gene-set enrichment analysis and found that down-regulated genes induced by 4-HPR were associated with FLT3-ITD gene sets. CD34⁺ AML stem/progenitor cells separated from 32 AML samples were treated with 4-HPR. Correlation analysis showed that AML cells with FLT3-ITD genetic alteration were more sensitive to 4-HPR treatment than those without FLT3-ITD. Next, we treated 22 primary AML cells with 4-HPR and found that 4-HPR was more toxic to AML cells with FLT3-ITD. These results indicated that 4-HPR was preferentially cytotoxic to all FLT3-ITD AML⁺ cells irrespective of stem/progenitor cells or blast cells. 4-HPR-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and NF-κB inhibition might be the reason of 4-HPR selectivity on FLT3 mutated AML cells.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Qatar (2010-2016): Clinical, Biological, and Prognostic Factors and Treatment Outcomes

The current study retrospectively evaluated cytogenetic profiles, various prognostic factors, and survival outcomes in 128 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients (14 ≤ age ≤ 70 years) admitted to the National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR), Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar, between January 2010 and December 2016. The median age at diagnosis was 43 years, and 80% were less than 60 years old; 75% of patients were male. Cytogenetic analysis was integrated into the World Health Organization 2008 classification and showed that the percentages of normal and abnormal karyotypes were similar, accounting for 48.4% of each group of patients. The AML risk stratification based on cytogenetic analysis resulted in the following distribution: 18% in the favorable risk group, 57% in the intermediate-risk group, 24% in the unfavorable risk group, and 1% unknown. Only 88 patients received therapy with curative intent; 67% achieved complete remission, increasing to 81% after inductions 1 and 2. The median overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in AML patients were 26.6 and 19.5 months, respectively. The 3-year OS and DFS were 40 and 36%, respectively. Prognostic factors including age, gender, white blood cell count, and risk stratification were not significantly associated with treatment outcomes, whereas response to treatment vs. failure was significantly associated with the outcome (p = 0.01). The current study supports the importance of cytogenetics as a useful tool in diagnosis, prognosis, and risk assessment in AML treatment.

A heavy metal baseline score predicts outcome in acute myeloid leukemia

Despite abundant epidemiological data linking metals to leukemia and other cancers, baseline values of toxic and essential metals in patients with leukemia and the clinical impact of these metals remain unknown. Thus, we sought to quantify metal values in untreated patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and controls and determine the impact of metal values on AML patients' survival. Serum samples from patients with untreated AML and controls at Hospices Civils de Lyon were analyzed and compared for trace metals and copper isotopic abundance ratios with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Survival analysis was performed as a function of metal values, and a multi-metal score was developed for patients with AML. Serum samples were collected from 67 patients with untreated AML and 94 controls. Most patients had intermediate-risk cytogenetics (63.1%) without FLT3 internal tandem duplication mutations (75.6%) or NPM1 mutations (68.1%). Most metal values differed significantly between AML and control groups. Patients with lower magnesium and higher cadmium values had the worst survival rates, with only 36% surviving at 6 months (P = .001). The adverse prognostic effect of this combination was maintained on multivariate analysis. Based on this, we developed a novel metal score, which accounts for multiple relative abnormalities in the values of five toxic and five essential metals. Patients with a higher metal score had significantly worse survival, which was maintained on multivariate analysis (P = .03). This baseline metal scoring system was also prognostic when we applied it to a separate population of front-line AML patients.

Association between fetal chromosomal abnormalities and the frequency of spontaneous abortions

Fetal chromosomal abnormalities are a common cause of spontaneous abortion. The present study investigated the association between fetal chromosomal abnormalities and the frequency of spontaneous abortions to enable clinicians to provide more informed genetic counseling. A total of 182 patients with a history of spontaneous abortions were recruited from July 2015 to August 2017. G-banding cytogenetic analysis and novel high-throughput ligation-dependent probe amplification (HLPA) techniques were performed on conception in all 182 patients to detect chromosomal abnormalities. Low-coverage whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was performed in 74 patients to detect copy number variations (CNVs). There were no significant differences in the incidence of karyotype abnormalities between patients with sporadic miscarriages (48.0%; SM group) and patients suffering recurrent spontaneous abortions (44.8%; RSA group). The maternal age was markedly higher in patients with 3 miscarriages. WGS indicated that the incidence of pathogenic CNVs in the RSA group was higher than that in the SM group, but the difference was not significant. In conclusion, a high incidence of karyotype abnormalities and pathogenic CNVs was observed in patients with spontaneous abortion. However, no association between fetal chromosomal abnormalities and the number of spontaneous abortions was observed. HLPA assays may be used as an alternative method for fetal karyotype analysis and determination of CNVs in patients with SM and RSA.

Genome sequencing identifies a homozygous inversion disrupting QDPR as a cause for dihydropteridine reductase deficiency

Background

Dihydropteridine reductase (DHPR) is one of the key enzymes for maintaining in the organism the supply of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH₄), an essential cofactor for aromatic amino acid hydroxylases. Its dysfunction causes the condition of hyperphenylalaninemia together with the lack of neurotransmitters.

Methods

We report a patient with biochemically diagnosed DHPR deficiency, with extensive molecular investigations undertaken to detect variations in quinoid dihydropteridine reductase (QDPR) gene. Sanger sequencing of QDPR coding regions, exome sequencing, QDPR mRNA PCR, and karyotyping were followed by trio genome sequencing.

Results

Short‐read genome sequencing revealed a homozygous 9‐Mb inversion disrupting QDPR. Structural variant breakpoints in chromosome 4 were located to intron 2 of QDPR at Chr4(GRCh38):g.17505522 and in intron 8 of the ACOX3 gene, Chr4(GRCh38):g.8398067). Both nonrelated parents carried the variant in heterozygous state. The inversion was not present in gnomAD structural variant database.

Conclusion

Identification of the exact breakpoints now allows further straightforward molecular genetic testing of potential carriers of the inversion. This study extends the pathogenic variant spectrum of DHPR deficiency and highlights the role of structural variants in recessive metabolic disorders. To our knowledge, this is the first report on a large, canonical (rather than complex) homozygous pathogenic inversion detected by genome sequencing.

Noninvasive prenatal testing for chromosome aneuploidies and subchromosomal microdeletions/microduplications in a cohort of 42,910 single pregnancies with different clinical features

Background

Since the discovery of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in maternal plasma, it has opened up new approaches for non-invasive prenatal testing. With the development of whole-genome sequencing, small subchromosomal deletions and duplications could be found by NIPT. This study is to review the efficacy of NIPT as a screening test for aneuploidies and CNVs in 42,910 single pregnancies.

Methods

A total of 42,910 single pregnancies with different clinical features were recruited. The cell-free fetal DNA was directly sequenced. Each of the chromosome aneuploidies and the subchromosomal microdeletions/microduplications of PPV were analyzed.

Results

A total of 534 pregnancies (1.24%) were abnormal results detected by NIPT, and 403 pregnancies had underwent prenatal diagnosis. The positive predictive value (PPV) for trisomy 21(T21), trisomy 18 (T18), trisomy 13 (T13), sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs), and other chromosome aneuploidy was 79.23%, 54.84%, 13.79%, 33.04%, and 9.38% respectively. The PPV for CNVs was 28.99%. The PPV for CNVs ≤ 5 Mb is 20.83%, for within 5–10 Mb 50.00%, for > 10 Mb 27.27% respectively. PPVs of NIPT according to pregnancies characteristics are also different.

Conclusion

Our data have potential significance in demonstrating the usefulness of NIPT profiling not only for common whole chromosome aneuploidies but also for CNVs. However, this newest method is still in its infancy for CNVs. There is still a need for clinical validation studies with accurate detection rates and false positive rates in clinical practice.

Invariant patterns of clonal succession determine specific clinical features of myelodysplastic syndromes

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) arise in older adults through stepwise acquisitions of multiple somatic mutations. Here, analyzing 1809 MDS patients, we infer clonal architecture by using a stringent, the single-cell sequencing validated PyClone bioanalytic pipeline, and assess the position of the mutations within the clonal architecture. All 3,971 mutations are grouped based on their rank in the deduced clonal hierarchy (dominant and secondary). We evaluated how they affect the resultant morphology, progression, survival and response to therapies. Mutations of SF3B1, U2AF1, and TP53 are more likely to be dominant, those of ASXL1, CBL, and KRAS are secondary. Among distinct combinations of dominant/secondary mutations we identified 37 significant relationships, of which 12 affect clinical phenotypes, 5 cooperatively associate with poor prognosis. They also predict response to hypomethylating therapies. The clonal hierarchy has distinct ranking and the resultant invariant combinations of dominant/secondary mutations yield novel insights into the specific clinical phenotype of MDS.

Genetic alterations in 47 patients with a novel myelodysplastic syndrome diagnosis at a single center

At least one mutation is present in 70–80% of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Genetic alterations and other molecular biological markers have been included in the diagnostic and treatment guidelines for MDS. The aim of the present study was to analyze the association between genetic alterations and clinicopathological features among 47 Chinese patients with a novel diagnosis of MDS using a next-generation sequencing approach. The results indicated that from the 47 patients, 66.0% had genetic alterations. Furthermore, seven genes, U2 small nuclear RNA auxiliary factor 1 (23.4%), splicing factor 3b subunit (12.8%), ASXL transcriptional regulator 1 (10.6%), tet methylcytosine dioxygenase 2 (8.5%), BCL6 corepressor (8.5%), TP53 (8.5%) and DNA methyltransferase 3^α (6.4%), indicated a higher prevalence of alterations in >5% of patients. Among the 16 (51.6%) patients with ≥2 mutations, 12 (75%) had mutations in different genetic functional groups. Variant allele frequencies in signaling pathways were generally low, suggesting that mutations in the corresponding genes were acquired relatively late during the evolution of the leukemic clones. The mutation prevalence rates of Janus kinase 2 and SH2B adaptor protein 3 were significantly higher in the MDS unclassified group and in the very high-risk groups with a karyotype as a prognostic indicator, respectively (both P<0.05). The mutation prevalence rates of SET binding protein 1 and enhancer of zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit were significantly higher in the high-risk group (both P<0.05). In summary, 66.0% of the 47 patients with a novel MDS diagnosis had a genetic mutation as detected by 127-target gene next-generation sequencing. The results for the genetic alterations in the present study will supplement the database of patients with MDS in China.

Genetic and sex hormone analysis of infertile men

Objective

Genetic defects and endocrine-related factors are the leading causes of male infertility. This study was performed to analyze the genetic characteristics and sex hormone levels in different types of male infertility.

Methods

A total of 423 men with infertility underwent genetic and sex hormone analysis at The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University.

Results

The incidences of abnormal karyotypes in patients with male infertility, azoospermia, and oligoasthenozoospermia were 6.94%, 22.40%, 15.09%, respectively. Among men with azoospermia, Klinefelter syndrome (47,XXY) was identified in 60.71% (17/28) of those with abnormal karyotypes. Additionally, the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone and human luteinizing hormone were significantly higher in men with azoospermia showing abnormal karyotypes than in men of the other study groups. The serum testosterone level in men with azoospermia showing abnormal karyotypes was lower than that in men of the other study groups.

Conclusions

Azoospermia is closely associated with chromosome abnormalities. The levels of testosterone, human luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone in men with azoospermia showing abnormal karyotypes provide a clinical reference for genetic counseling and assisted reproduction.

The effect of an alternative chromosome 17 probe on fluorescence in situ hybridization for the assessment of HER2 amplification in invasive breast cancer

Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) is commonly used to determine the ratio of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) to centromere enumeration probe for chromosome 17 (CEP17), which further determines HER2 gene status in breast cancer. However, due to copy number alteration in CEP17, inaccurate diagnoses can occur. The current study was performed to investigate the diagnostic value of an alternative CEP17 reference probe for HER2 status in invasive breast cancer. A higher-order repeat in the centromeric region of chromosome 17 was identified and an alternative probe (SCEP17) was subsequently prepared. Karyotype analysis of peripheral blood was used to detect SCEP17 probe specificity. Using a HER2/CEP17 probe, karyotype analysis revealed two strong green signals at the centromere of chromosome 17 and one weaker signal at the other centromere. However, two strong hybridization signals at the centromere of chromosome 17 were observed when the HER2/SCEP17 probe was used. In the 425 patients with invasive breast cancer, no statistical difference was observed between HER2/SCEP17 and HER2/CEP17 when detecting HER2 gene amplification (P=0.157). However, in terms of copy number, the SCEP17 probe exhibited a reduced number compared with the conventional CEP17 probe (P<0.001). In conclusion, the HER2/SCEP17 probe may lead to increased accuracy HER2 status assessment in invasive breast cancer. However, a further large-scale and prospective clinical trial is required for confirmation of the potential benefits of using the HER2/SCEP17 probe.

Prenatal diagnosis of 17q12 microdeletion and microduplication syndrome in fetuses with congenital renal abnormalities

Background

Copy number variations (CNVs) involving the 17q12 region are associated with a broad range of clinical phenotypes. Deletion of the 17q12 chromosome results in structural or functional abnormalities in the kidney and urethra, type 5 diabetes (MODY5), and neurodevelopmental or neuropsychiatric disorders. Microduplication of 17q12 is rare and is associated with an increased risk of epilepsy and mental retardation. We studied the prenatal diagnosis of 17q12 microduplication and microdeletion syndrome in fetuses with congenital renal abnormalities.

Case presentation

We conducted a retrospective analysis of prenatal diagnoses in our hospital from January 2016 to April 2018. Abnormal renal ultrasound findings were present in 126 fetuses and the incidence of chromosomal abnormalities was 10.32%(13/126). Conventional karyotyping detected 7 of 126 fetuses as aneuploid (5.56%). In addition, chromosome microarray analysis (CMA) detected 6 fetuses(4.76%) with copy number variations (CNVs), of which 5 were shown to have 17q12 microdeletion syndrome and 1 had 17q12 microduplication syndrome. We followed up these pregnant women. The results of the testing had a significant impact on pregnancy outcome. The phenotypes of 17q12 microdeletions and microduplications vary widely, affecting patients in different ways, such as language delays, social deficiencies, and even abortion.

Conclusions

The characteristics of 17q12 microdeletions and microduplications are so vague that the condition is often misdiagnosed or missed. This study demonstrated that karyotype analysis combined with CMA can significantly improve the diagnostic rate in prenatal diagnosis of CNVs, which can provide evidence for genetic counseling in such pregnancies.

Clinical diagnosis of adult patients with acute megakaryocytic leukemia

Acute megakaryocytic leukemia (AMKL) is a rare subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), which is challenging to diagnose due to frequent myelofibrosis (MF) and a low percentage of blast cells. In the present study, clinical characteristics and experimental observations in 9 adult patients diagnosed with AMKL, who were recruited by the Sino-U.S. Shanghai Leukemia Co-operative Group, were analyzed in order to summarize the diagnostic experience and provide recommendations on diagnosing AMKL. All the patients were diagnosed according to the 2008 World Health Organization diagnostic criteria. The mean age of the patients with AMKL was 59 years (range, 53–68 years). A total of 8 patients had different degrees of anemia, and 2 patients had <5% marrow blasts present in the bone marrow; however, the percentage of positive cells with cluster of differentiation (CD)41 and CD61 expression was >20%, as demonstrated by flow cytometry. A total of 6 patients were positive for platelet-specific antigens, as indicated by immunocytochemistry. Furthermore, 7 patients presented with moderate or marked MF, as demonstrated by a bone marrow biopsy. Karyotypic analysis indicated that 6 patients had abnormal karyotypes. Only 1 patient exhibited the Janus kinase 2V617F mutation. Treatment efficiency was notably poor, with a median survival time of 6.0 months (range, 1.1–24.0 months). In conclusion, the diagnosis of AMKL requires a combination of the results of bone marrow smears and bone marrow biopsy, immunophenotype or immunohistochemistry. We recommend that routine immunophenotypic analysis should include the CD41 and CD61 markers for diagnosing acute leukemia when bone marrow morphology does not indicate the diagnosis.

Analysis of the accuracy of Z-scores of non-invasive prenatal testing for fetal Trisomies 13, 18, and 21 that employs the ion proton semiconductor sequencing platform

Background

Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is frequently being used to screen for trisomies 13, 18 and 21 for prenatal diagnosis. However, NIPT performs poorly when compared with invasive testing and thus should not be used to diagnose trisomies. The result of NIPT for an individual woman in most genome-wide methods is calculated as a Z-score. The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between Z-scores of NIPT results and the accuracy of non-invasive prenatal testing.

Results

We evaluated 108 pregnant women with positive NIPT results, which were validated through karyotype analysis of amniotic fluid puncture by means of sequencing, bioinformatics analysis, and follow-up. Utilizing the ion proton semiconductor sequencing platform, we report a performance evaluation of NIPT-positive results at Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University of Henan Province, China, by classifying Z-scores as 3 ≤ Z<5, 5 ≤ Z < 9 and Z ≥ 9. The findings indicate that positive NIPT results at Z ≥ 9 have a higher accuracy compared with positive NIPT results at 5 ≤ Z < 9 and 3 ≤ Z<5.

Conclusions

The findings show that Z-scores of NIPT results are closely related to the accuracy of non-invasive prenatal testing. However, false-positive NIPT results at 3 ≤ Z<5 may occur due to confined placental mosaicism (CPM).

Outcome of children with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with CCLG-ALL 2008: The first nation-wide prospective multicenter study in China

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common malignancy among children. The trial Chinese Children Leukemia Group (CCLG)-ALL 2008 was a prospective clinical trial designed to improve treatment outcome of childhood ALL through the first nation-wide collaborative study in China. Totally 2231 patients were recruited from ten tertiary hospitals in eight cities. The patients were stratified according to clinical-biological characteristics and early treatment response. Standard risk (SR) and intermediate risk (IR) groups were treated with a modified BFM based protocol, and there was 25%-50% dose reduction during intensification phases in the SR group. Patients in high risk (HR) group received a more intensive maintenance treatment. Minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring with treatment adjustment was performed in two hospitals (the MRD group). Complete remission (CR) was achieved in 2100 patients (94.1%). At five years, the estimate for overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) of the whole group was 85.3% and 79.9%, respectively. The cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) was 15.3% at five years. The OS, EFS and CIR for the SR group were 91.5%, 87.9%, and 9.7%, respectively. The outcome of the MRD group is better than the non-MRD group (5y-EFS: 82.4% vs 78.3%, P = .038; 5y-CIR: 10.7% vs 18.0%, P < .001). Our results demonstrated that the large-scale multicenter trial for pediatric ALL was feasible in China. Dose reduction in the SR group could achieve high EFS. MRD-based risk stratification might improve the treatment outcome for childhood ALL.

High Incidence of Gastrointestinal Ulceration and Cytogenetic Aberration of Trisomy 8 as Typical Features of Behçet's Disease Associated with Myelodysplastic Syndrome: A Series of 16 Consecutive Chinese Patients from the Shanghai Behçet's Disease Database and Comparison with the Literature

This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of Chinese patients with Behçet disease (BD) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and explore the role played by trisomy 8. This was a retrospective study of patients with BD and MDS from the Shanghai Behçet's disease database who were diagnosed between October 2012 and July 2017. There were 805 patients with BD and 16 also had MDS. Trisomy 8 was examined in patients with BD-MDS and some patients with gastrointestinal (GI) BD. Patients with BD and MDS (16/805; 2%) were more likely to be female and older; display fever and intestinal lesions; have lower leukocyte count, hemoglobin, platelet count; and show higher C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) than patients with BD without MDS (all P < 0.05). Trisomy 8 was common (81.3%) in patients with BD-MDS. Ulcers in the ileocecal region were more frequently seen in intestinal patients with BD-MDS than in BD without MDS (90.0% versus 48.9%; P = 0.032). GI ulceration is common in patients with BD-MDS. Cytogenetic aberrations, especially trisomy 8, may play a role in the pathogenesis of intestinal involvement in patients with BD-MDS.

A novel miR-375-HOXB3-CDCA3/DNMT3B regulatory circuitry contributes to leukemogenesis in acute myeloid leukemia

BACKGROUND

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous group of hematopoietic malignancies due to sophisticated genetic mutations and epigenetic dysregulation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs, are important regulators of gene expression in all biological processes, including leukemogenesis. Recently, miR-375 has been reported to be a suppressive miRNA in multiple types of cancers, but its underlying anti-leukemia activity in AML is largely unknown.

METHODS

Quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to measure the expression of miR-375 and HOXB3 in leukemic cells and normal controls. Targets of miR-375 were confirmed by western blot and luciferase assay. Phenotypic effects of miR-375 overexpression and HOXB3 knockdown were assessed using viability (trypan blue exclusion assay), colony formation/replating, as well as tumor xenograft assays in vivo.

RESULTS

The expression of miR-375 was substantially decreased in leukemic cell lines and primary AML blasts compared with normal controls, because DNA hypermethylation of precursor-miR-375 (pre-miR-375) promoter was discovered in leukemic cells but not in normal controls. Lower expression of miR-375 predicted poor outcome in AML patients. Furthermore, forced expression of miR-375 not only decreased proliferation and colony formation in leukemic cells but also reduced xenograft tumor size and prolonged the survival time in a leukemia xenograft mouse model. Mechanistically, overexpression of miR-375 reduced HOXB3 expression and repressed the activity of a luciferase reporter through binding 3'-untranslated regions (3'-UTR) of HOXB3 mRNA. Overexpression of HOXB3 partially blocked miR-375-induced arrest of proliferation and reduction of colony number, suggesting that HOXB3 plays an important role in miR-375-induced anti-leukemia activity. Knockdown of HOXB3 by short hairpin RNAs reduced the expression of cell division cycle associated 3 (CDCA3), which decreased cell proliferation. Furthermore, HOXB3 induced DNA methyltransferase 3B (DNMT3B) expression to bind in the pre-miR-375 promoter and enhanced DNA hypermethylation of pre-miR-375, leading to the lower expression of miR-375.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, we have identified a miR-375-HOXB3-CDCA3/DNMT3B regulatory circuitry which contributes to leukemogenesis and suggests a therapeutic strategy of restoring miR-375 expression in AML.

A regulatory circuitry between miR-193a/miR-600 and WT1 enhances leukemogenesis in acute myeloid leukemia

The aberrant overexpression of Wilms tumor-1 (WT1) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) plays an important role in blast cell survival by enhancing proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis. However, the mechanism underlying the overexpression of WT1 remains unclear. Here, we identified miR-193a (miR-193a-5p) and miR-600 targeting and degrading WT1. MiR-193a and miR-600 synergistically reduced WT1 expression and suppressed the activity of a luciferase reporter by binding coding sequence and the 3'-untranslated region of WT1 mRNA, respectively. Furthermore, the expression of miR-193a and miR-600 was decreased in AML patients compared with normal controls. DNA hypermethylation in pre-miR-193a promoter, but not pre-miR-600 promoter, caused the downregulation of miR-193a. Most intriguingly, ectopic expression of WT1 inhibited miR-600 expression, in turn, by binding the putative pre-miR-600 promoter, leading to the downregulation of miR-600 in AML blasts. Ectopic expression of miR-193a and miR-600 synergistically inhibited cell proliferation, induced apoptosis, and decreased colony formation in leukemia cells. Finally, overexpression of miR-193a and miR-600 decreased the growth of K562-inoculated tumor xenografts and extended survival time in THP1-transplanted leukemia mice. In conclusion, these data reveal an important role of miRNAs-WT1 circuitry in leukemia cells and the therapeutic promise of restoring miR-193a and miR-600 expression in AML patients.

Relationship of genetic causes and inhibin B in non obstructive azoospermia spermatogenic failure

Background

Chromosomal disorders in non obstructive azoospermia (NOA) may have an important influence on spermatogenesis, which may be reflected by the serum inhibin B levels. Till now, few studies have concerned the relationship of genetic causes and inhibin B in NOA.

Methods

In this retrospective study, 322 men with NOA in Center for Reproductive Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University were collected. The level of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), inhibin B, Y chromosome microdeletion test (YCMD) and karyotype were measured.

Results

Abnormal karyotypes were present in 38.5% of NOA, and YCMD were present in 18.0%, there was a high correlation between karyotypes and YCMD (χ² = 11.892, P < 0.001). The level of inhibin B in chromosomal abnormality from lowest to highest was 46,XX (or 45,X), 47, XXY, mosaics, polymorphisms, inversion and translocation. And the level of inhibin B within Non-AZF a&b region deletion was higher than AZF a&b microdeletion.

Conclusion

According to the level of inhibin B, spermatogenesis in chromosomal abnormality from lowest to highest was 46,XX (or 45,X), 47, XXY, mosaics, polymorphisms, inversion and translocation. And spermatogenesis within Non-AZF a&b region deletion was better than AZF a&b microdeletion.

Gene mutational pattern and expression level in 560 acute myeloid leukemia patients and their clinical relevance

Background

Cytogenetic aberrations and gene mutations have long been regarded as independent prognostic markers in AML, both of which can lead to misexpression of some key genes related to hematopoiesis. It is believed that the expression level of the key genes is associated with the treatment outcome of AML.

Methods

In this study, we analyzed the clinical features and molecular aberrations of 560 newly diagnosed non-M3 AML patients, including mutational status of CEBPA, NPM1, FLT3, C-KIT, NRAS, WT1, DNMT3A, MLL-PTD and IDH1/2, as well as expression levels of MECOM, ERG, GATA2, WT1, BAALC, MEIS1 and SPI1.

Results

Certain gene expression levels were associated with the cytogenetic aberration of the disease, especially for MECOM, MEIS1 and BAALC. FLT3, C-KIT and NRAS mutations contained conversed expression profile regarding MEIS1, WT1, GATA2 and BAALC expression, respectively. FLT3, DNMT3A, NPM1 and biallelic CEBPA represented the mutations associated with the prognosis of AML in our group. Higher MECOM and MEIS1 gene expression levels showed a significant impact on complete remission (CR) rate, disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) both in univariate and multivariate analysis, respectively; and an additive effect could be observed. By systematically integrating gene mutational status results and gene expression profile, we could establish a more refined system to precisely subdivide AML patients into distinct prognostic groups.

Conclusions

Gene expression abnormalities contained important biological and clinical informations, and could be integrated into current AML stratification system.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12967-017-1279-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Overexpression of dominant-negative Ikaros 6 isoform is associated with resistance to TKIs in patients with Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia

The clinical significance of the dominant-negative Ikaros 6 (DN-IK6) in the treatment of patients with Philadelphia-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph⁺-ALL) with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) remains elusive. In the present study, it was demonstrated that DN-IK6 was overexpressed in B-cell (B)-ALL cases compared with T cell-ALL cases at the mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, nucleotide sequencing revealed that DN-IK6 was due to the deletion of IKAROS family zinc finger 1 exons 4-7. The outcome of patients with Ph⁺-B-ALL with DN-IK6, and treated with TKIs and hyper-cyclophosphamide/vincristine/doxorubicin/dexamethasone regimen were restrospectively evaluated in a 2 year follow-up. The results demonstrated that those with the DN isoform exhibited significantly lower incidences of remission, shorter median cumulative incidence of relapse times (P<0.05) and shorter median overall survival times (P<0.05) compared with those without the DN isoform. In conclusion, the results of the present study demonstrated that DN-IK6 is overexpressed in the majority of patients with Ph⁺-ALL, and is significantly associated with resistance to TKI therapy.

Cytogenetics with flow cytometry in lymph node/extranodal tissue biopsies is sensitive to assist the early diagnosis of suspected lymphomas

Few studies have examined the value of cytogenetic studies with flow cytometry (FC) in lymph node/extranodal tissue biopsies with suspected lymphoma. To evaluate this, G-banded karyotyping and/or fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with FC immunophenotyping were performed on 185 lymph node or extranodal tissue biopsy specimens with suspected lymphoma. Complete cytogenetic analysis of lymph node/extranodal tissue was successful in 174 cases (94.1%) and 57.5% demonstrated chromosomal abnormalities. In 116 malignant lymphoma cases, 83.8% showed abnormalities. In 74 B cell lymphomas (B-NHL), abnormalities were more frequent in lymph node/extranodal tissues than in bone marrow by conventional cytogenetics (CC, 97.2 vs 26.1%), FISH (70.6 vs 17.6%), and FC (98.6 vs 28.4%). Three B-NHL diagnoses were confirmed by re-biopsy of lymph nodes due to the presence of abnormalities in the first biopsy, but no evidence of malignancy in pathological, FC, or IgH/TCR gene rearrangement analyses. In 29 T cell lymphomas (T-NHL), abnormalities were more frequent in lymph nodes than in bone marrow by CC (67.9 vs 21.4%) and FC (75.9 vs 27.6%) analyses. As expected, in 13 Hodgkin lymphoma cases, abnormalities were more frequent in lymph nodes than bone marrow by CC (41.7 vs 16.7%) and FC (30.8 vs 7.7%) analyses. In 56 reactive lymphoid hyperplasias (RLH), 7.1% had conventional clonal cytogenetic abnormalities. Two of these patients died of disease progression and two had their pathological diagnosis revised after the second review. These findings indicate that cytogenetic analysis combined with FC in lymph node/extranodal tissue biopsies can provide critical information in the auxiliary diagnosis of lymphoma.

Detection of trisomies 13, 18 and 21 using non-invasive prenatal testing

The clinical performance of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) in the Down's syndrome screening based on 1,901 pregnant women in a Chinese hospital was investigated. This was a retrospective analysis of NIPT study in singleton pregnancy (n=1,901). The NIPT test is offered routinely as a prenatal screening test for common fetal aneuploidies, including trisomy 13 (T13), T18 and T21 to pregnant women with risk factors of one or more anomalies. Maternal peripheral blood (5 ml) was collected in an ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) tube at a gestational age of 12+0 to 32+6 weeks. The samples were delivered at -80°C to the certified Shenzhen BGI Clinical Laboratory Center. Sequencing data were analyzed using a proprietary algorithm. Women with positive NIPT results were recommended to receive karyotype analysis and amniotic fluid puncture for further validation. The cases were followed up for 56 days after delivery. All the patients underwent ultrasound examination, and the majority of patients (91.16%) showed normal findings. In contrast, 136 (7.15%) showed ultrasound anomalies. The most common anomaly was echogenic heart focus (n=80), accounting for 4.21% of the patients. Twenty-two cases were classified by the NIPT to be positive for the T21 (n=15), T18 (n=5) and T13 (n=2), respectively, while the others (n=1,879) were classified to be NIPT negative cases. Among these cases, the fetal outcome data were obtained in 1,483 cases, while 396 were lost to follow-up. The majority of cases (75.47%) were normal at birth. Neonatal death was observed in 1 case. Five pregnant women decided termination of pregnancy despite the presence of NIPT negativity. In conclusion, NIPT technique is feasible for the prenatal screening of T18 and T21 with higher sensitivity and specificity compared with conventional methods.

The clinical analysis of small supernumerary marker chromosomes in 17 children with mos 45,X/46,X,+mar karyotype

Small supernumerary maker chromosome (sSMC) is a type of structurally abnormal chromosome. In order to identify the origin, morphology and other characteristics of sSMCs in children with mos 45,X/46,X,+mar karyotype, 17 patients (16 females and 1 male) were analyzed. All patients underwent general physical examination, gonadal imaging and molecular cytogenetic analyses, including Giemsa banding, dual-color fluorescence in situ hybridization and detection of the sex-determining region Y gene by polymerase chain reaction. Cytogenetic analyses indicated sSMCs in 14/17 cases were derived from the X chromosome, of which 8 individuals presented with ring-shaped sSMCs and 6 with centric minute-shaped sSMCs. The remaining 3 cases were derived from the Y chromosome, and all presented with minute-shaped sSMCs. All female patients exhibited short stature, gonadal dysgenesis and other typical features of Turner syndrome. The male patient exhibited short stature, hypospadias and bilateral cryptorchidism. In conclusion, the majority of the sSMCs in patients with a mos 45,X/46,X,+mar karyotype were derived from the sex chromosomes. The molecular cytogenetic features of sSMCs may provide useful information for genetic counseling, prenatal diagnosis and individualized treatment.

Southwestern Oncology Group pretreatment risk criteria as predictive or prognostic factors in acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a clonal hematological malignant condition and the implications of pretreatment risk criteria as predictive or prognostic factors are constantly under evaluation. With this study, the authors' intent was to characterize AML patients and to evaluate the clinical outcome associated with Southwestern Oncology Group (SWOG) coding pretreatment risk criteria/cytogenetic score. Between 2002 and 2010, 225 patients were diagnosed with AML at the Portuguese Institute of Oncology (Porto, Portugal). From this patient group, 128 patients aged <65 years were selected. The patients were treated using a combination of cytarabine and anthracycline, with the addition of cyclosporine when bone marrow dysplasia was observed. A median survival of 24 months was observed in this group. The patients were divided in subgroups according to the SWOG pretreatment risk criteria. We observed a statistically significant association of non-favorable SWOG coding with female gender [P=0.025; risk ratio (RR)=3.632, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.113-11.852], indication for allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (P=0.023, RR=1.317, 95% CI: 1.184-1.465), complete response achievement (P=0.013, RR=1.385, 95% CI: 11.232-1.556) and relapse (P=0.048, RR=3.181, 95% CI: 10.966-10.478). Furthermore, SWOG pretreatment risk criteria also significantly affected global overall survival (OS; P=0.003) and OS at 5 years (P=0.001). A multivariate Cox regression analysis supported response to induction therapy (3-year OS: P=0.011, RR=0.385, 95% CI: 10.184-0.806; 5-year OS: P=0.012, RR=0.388, 95% CI: 10.597-1.994), consolidation (3-year OS: P=0.005, RR=0.328, 95% CI: 0.150-0.720; 5-year OS: P=0.002, RR=0.308, 95% CI: 0.144-0.657) and the diagnosis of therapy-related aml (3-year OS: P=0.016, RR=2.756, 95% CI: 0.486-1.281; 5-year OS: P=0.031, RR=2.369, 95% CI: 1.081-5.189) as prognostic factors, but this was not confirmed for SWOG pretreatment risk criteria. Therefore, we concluded that the reproducibility of the application of the SWOG pretreatment risk criteria may not be available as a prognostic factor in every acute leukemia population. However, its application as a predictive factor of response has been confirmed in our population.

Effect of therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia on the outcome of patients with acute myeloid leukemia

Therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia (t-AML) is a rare and almost always fatal late side effect of antineoplastic treatment involving chemotherapy, radiotherapy or the two combined. The present retrospective study intended to characterize t-AML patients that were diagnosed and treated in a single referral to an oncological institution in North Portugal. Over the past 10 years, 231 cases of AML were diagnosed and treated at the Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Porto, of which 38 t-AML cases were identified. Data regarding the patient demographics, primary diagnosis and treatment, age at onset of therapy-related myeloid neoplasm, latency time of the neoplasm, cytogenetic characteristics, AML therapy and outcome were collected from medical records. A previous diagnosis with solid tumors was present in 28 patients, and 10 patients possessed a history of hematological conditions, all a lymphoproliferative disorder. Breast cancer was the most frequent solid tumor identified (39.5% of all solid tumors diagnosed). The mean latency time was 3 years. In the present study, t-AML patients were older (P<0.001) and more frequently carried cytogenetic abnormalities (P=0.009) compared with de novo AML patients. The overall survival time was observed to be significantly poorer among individuals with t-AML (P<0.001). However, in younger patients (age, <50 years) there was no difference between the overall survival time of patients with t-AML and those with de novo AML (P=0.983). Additionally, patients with promyelocytic leukemia possess a good prognosis, even when AML occurs as a secondary event (P=0.98). To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to evaluate t-AML in Portugal and the results are consistent with the data published previously in other populations. The present study concludes that although t-AML demonstrates a poor prognosis, this is not observed among younger patients or promyelocytic leukemia patients.

Clinical Prognostic Factors in 86 Chinese Patients with Primary Myelodysplastic Syndromes and Trisomy 8: A Single Institution Experience

PURPOSE

The objective was to determine the characteristics and prognostic factors of 86 Chinese patients with trisomy 8 aberrations and compare the prognostic value of International Prognostic System (IPSS) and Revised IPSS (IPSS-R) in this cohort.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 86 cases diagnosed with primary myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) with isolated tr8 or with tr8 and other additional cytogenetic aberrations diagnosed and treated at the Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology between July 2002 and March 2013 were reviewed.

RESULTS

The median survival of the entire group was 23.0 months, and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) developed in 43% (37/86) patients within the follow up time. The univariate analysis revealed that overall survival (OS) was correlated with age, thrombocytopenia, absolute neutrophil count, marrow blasts, cytogenetic status and red blood cell transfusion at diagnosis, and the multivariate analysis revealed that age, marrow blasts, cytogenetic status and transfusion dependence were independent parameters for the OS. The cytogenetic complexity and marrow blasts had the strongest impact on the AML transformation by multivariate analysis. Comparing the two prognostic systems, both two systems could successfully discriminate risk groups for survival. IPSS-R was more refined than IPSS for predicting OS, but had no advantage in predicting the risk of AML development.

CONCLUSION

This study confirmed the influence of clinical factors on the prognosis of 86 Chinese MDS patients with trisomy 8. In addition, IPSS-R can further refine prognostic discrimination in the IPSS risk categories.

SF3B1-mutated myelodysplastic syndrome with ring sideroblasts harbors more severe iron overload and corresponding over-erythropoiesis

OBJECTIVE

To clarify the possible biological differences and implication of the SF3B1 gene for patients with MDS-RS (myelodysplastic syndromes with ring sideroblasts).

METHODS

Sanger sequencing was performed on mutation hotspots of the SF3B1 gene in MDS-RS patients. The differences between the SF3B1 mutated and wild-type subsets, including the ultrastructure of erythroid precursors, iron profile parameters, erythropoiesis-related measurements, as well as clinical features, were analyzed.

RESULTS

SF3B1 mutations were detected in 33 out of fifty-two MDS-RS patients (63%). The vast majority of patients with mutations (94%) were categorized in the lower risk group according to the IPSS (International Prognostic Scoring System), in contrast to only fifty-eight percent of the wild-type cases. In addition to the notably higher percentages of erythroblasts and ring sideroblasts in patients with mutations, abundant electron-dense granules in the mitochondria of the erythroid precursors were clearly observed. Moreover, patients with mutations presented both improper iron uptake and distribution (lower serum hepcidin-25 concentration, P=0.028) and enhanced erythropoietic activity (higher soluble transferrin receptor level, P=0.132; higher growth differentiation factor 15 concentration, P<0.001). Finally, MDS-RS patients carrying SF3B1 mutations had a better overall survival (median 38 vs. 18 months, P=0.001) compared to those without mutations. By multivariable analysis, the prognostic significance of the SF3B1 mutation was primarily accounted for by IPSS risk categorization.

CONCLUSION

MDS-RS patients carrying SF3B1 mutations harbored a more severe iron overload and corresponding over-erythropoiesis. The better overall survival of SF3B1-mutated MDS-RS patients may be mainly due to the clustering of patients with lower risk disease in this group.

Aberrant Expression of HOXA5 and HOXA9 in AML

BACKGROUND

Aberrant expression of HOX gene expression has been observed in cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the alteration of HOXA5 and HOXA9 expression and their clinical significance in acute meloid leukemia (AML).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The expression of HOXA5 and HOXA9 genes of bone marrow samples from 75 newly diagnosed AML patients and 22 healthy controls for comparison were examined by Real- time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR) assay. Statistical analysis was conducted to evaluate HOXA5 and HOXA9 expression as possible biomarkers for AML.

RESULTS

The results showed that the complete remission rate (52.6%) of the patients who highly expressed HOXA5 and HOXA9 was significantly lower than that (88.9%) in patients who lowly express the genes (P=0.015). Spearmann correlation coefficients indicated that the expression levels for HOXA5 and HOXA9 genes were highly interrelated (r=0.657, P<0.001). Meanwhile, we detected significant correlations between HOXA9 expression and age in this limited set of patients (P=0.009).

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest a prognostic impact of increased expression of HOXA5 and HOXA9 in AML patients.

Growth and differentiation effects of Homer3 on a leukemia cell line

The Homer protein family, also known as the family of cytoplasmic scaffolding proteins, which include three subtypes (Homer1, Homer2, Homer3). Homer3 can regulate transcription and play a very important role in the differentiation and development for some tissues (e.g. muscle and nervous systems). The current studies showed that Homer3 abnormal expression changes in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Forced expression of Homer3 in transfected K562 cells inhibited proliferation, influenced the cell cycle profile, affected apoptosis induced by As2O3 through inhibition of Bcl2 expression, and also promoted cell differentiation induced by 12-O-tetra decanoylphorbol-acetate (TPA). These results showed that Homer3 is a novel gene which plays a certain role in the occurrence and development of AML.

An occult hepatitis B-derived hepatoma cell line carrying persistent nuclear viral DNA and permissive for exogenous hepatitis B virus infection

Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is defined as persistence of HBV DNA in liver tissues, with or without detectability of HBV DNA in the serum, in individuals with negative serum HBV surface antigen (HBsAg). Despite accumulating evidence suggesting its important clinical roles, the molecular and virological basis of occult hepatitis B remains unclear. In an attempt to establish new hepatoma cell lines, we achieved a new cell line derived from a hepatoma patient with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) and occult HBV infection. Characterization of this cell line revealed previously unrecognized properties. Two novel human hepatoma cell lines were established. Hep-Y1 was derived from a male hepatoma patient negative for HCV and HBV infection. Hep-Y2 was derived from a female hepatoma patient suffering from chronic HCV and occult HBV infection. Morphological, cytogenetic and functional studies were performed. Permissiveness to HBV infection was assessed. Both cell lines showed typical hepatocyte-like morphology under phase-contrast and electron microscopy and expressed alpha-fetoprotein, albumin, transferrin, and aldolase B. Cytogenetic analysis revealed extensive chromosomal anomalies. An extrachromosomal form of HBV DNA persisted in the nuclear fraction of Hep-Y2 cells, while no HBsAg was detected in the medium. After treated with 2% dimethyl sulfoxide, both cell lines were permissive for exogenous HBV infection with transient elevation of the replication intermediates in the cytosol with detectable viral antigens by immunoflurescence analysis. In conclusions, we established two new hepatoma cell lines including one from occult HBV infection (Hep-Y2). Both cell lines were permissive for HBV infection. Additionally, Hep-Y2 cells carried persistent extrachromosomal HBV DNA in the nuclei. This cell line could serve as a useful tool to establish the molecular and virological basis of occult HBV infection.

Distinct clinical and experimental characteristics in the patients younger than 60 years old with myelodysplastic syndromes

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) mainly occur in elderly individuals in Western countries. However, MDS is commonly found in young individuals (<60 years) in Asia. The reason for the high incidence in younger individuals is still unclear, and the differences in disease features between young and elderly patients with MDS have been not well recognized. To explore these issues, in this study, we analyzed the clinical and experimental characteristics of MDS in the patients younger and older than 60 years old and characterized the potential age-associated differences. The results showed that over half of the patients with MDS (61.9%) were younger than 60 years old upon the first diagnosis. The younger patients were more likely to be female, who have lower risk and less advanced MDS. The occurrence of trisomy 8 and bone marrow failure were more frequent in the younger patients than the older ones. The marrow CD34+ cells in the younger patients showed lower proliferation and higher apoptosis in comparison with that in the older ones. Obvious amplification of T cells and low CFU formation could be found in the younger patients. CFU formation was significantly increased in the younger patients after the removal of activated T cells. In addition, the younger patients had a lower frequency of p15^INK4B methylation, longer survival expectancy and less AML transformation. In summary, the younger patients with MDS in China may show more benign disease features than the older ones. Enhanced immunological response may be involved in the pathogenesis of MDS in the patients younger than 60 years.

Trisomy 8 is the most frequent cytogenetic abnormality in de novo myelodysplastic syndrome in China

BACKGROUND

Cytogenetic abnormalities have been detected in 40-60% of patients with de novo myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Some reports suggest that Asian and Western MDS patients have different cytogenetic features.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 168 patients with de novo MDS and compared our results with other Chinese centers to investigate the prevalence and cytogenetic characteristics of MDS in China.

RESULTS

In our study, chromosome abnormalities were detected in 40.48% of patients (68/168). Although the median survival time did not differ between younger and older (≥60 years) patients (p = 0.969), survival curves based on International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) cytogenetic groups and WHO Classification-Based Prognostic Scoring System (WPSS) risk groups were significantly different (p < 0.001). Survival differences were observed between patients in the normal karyotype group, sole trisomy 8 group, and poor cytogenetic group according to IPSS (p < 0.001). In agreement with the results from 2 other large Chinese centers, trisomy 8 was the most detected cytogenetic abnormality, with a prevalence of 14.21%.

CONCLUSION

Trisomy 8, categorized as intermediate cytogenetic risk group in our study, is the most frequent cytogenetic abnormality in de novo MDS in China.

Gene mutation patterns and their prognostic impact in a cohort of 1185 patients with acute myeloid leukemia

To evaluate the prognostic value of genetic mutations for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients, we examined the gene status for both fusion products such as AML1 (CBFα)-ETO, CBFβ-MYH11, PML-RARα, and MLL rearrangement as a result of chromosomal translocations and mutations in genes including FLT3, C-KIT, N-RAS, NPM1, CEBPA, WT1, ASXL1, DNMT3A, MLL, IDH1, IDH2, and TET2 in 1185 AML patients. Clinical analysis was mainly carried out among 605 cases without recognizable karyotype abnormalities except for 11q23. Of these 605 patients, 452 (74.7%) were found to have at least 1 mutation, and the relationship of gene mutations with clinical outcome was investigated. We revealed a correlation pattern among NPM1, DNMT3A, FLT3, IDH1, IDH2, CEBPA, and TET2 mutations. Multivariate analysis identified DNMT3A and MLL mutations as independent factors predicting inferior overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS), whereas biallelic CEBPA mutations or NPM1 mutations without DNMT3A mutations conferred a better OS and EFS in both the whole group and among younger patients < 60 years of age. The use of molecular markers allowed us to subdivide the series of 605 patients into distinct prognostic groups with potential clinical relevance.

Flow cytometric scoring system (FCMSS) assisted diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and the biological significance of FCMSS-based immunophenotypes

In the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), the haematopoietic cells show various levels of abnormal maturation and differentiation, which can be detected by flow cytometry. Testing the anomalies of stage- or lineage-specific surface antigens in CD34+ blasts can distinguish MDS from non-clonal cytopenic diseases, and also reflect the pathological characteristics of MDS as a class of clonal diseases for providing new clues to basic research. The present study established a flow cytometric scoring system (FCMSS) based on theproportion and antigenic co-expression of CD34+ blasts. This FCMSS showed good sensitivity and specificity (77.8% and 100%) in the assisted diagnosis of low-risk MDS without chromosome anomalies, ringed sideroblasts and excess marrow blasts. Moreover, we explored and reported different modes of abnormal expression of CD34+ blasts antigens in different disease stages and analyzed the biological significance of the immunotypes for the first time. We found expression of mature myeloid antigens and lymphoid antigens gradually decreased, and early functional antigens gradually increased from low-risk MDS with normal karytype to low-risk MDS with abnormal karyotype then to high-risk MDS. The patients with higher FCM scores were generally accompanied with HLA-DR15 allele or hypocellular marrow. Evolution of clones and immunological factors might have influence on expression of antigens in CD34+ blasts.