The expression and regulation of HOX genes and membrane proteins among different cytogenetic groups of acute myeloid leukemia

Mol Genet Genomic Med. 2020 Sep;8(9):e1365. doi: 10.1002/mgg3.1365. Epub 2020 Jul 2.

Abstract

Background: The cytogenetic aberrations were considered as markers for diagnosis and prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), while the expression and regulation under different cytogenetic groups remain to be fully elucidated.

Methods: In this paper, for favorable, poor, and cytogenetically normal groups of AML patients, we performed comprehensive bioinformatics analyses including identifying differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) among them, functional enrichment and regulatory networks.

Results: We found that DEGs were enriched in membrane-related processes. Eleven genes and two miRNAs were significantly differentially expressed among these three AML groups. In survival analysis, membrane-related genes and several miRNAs were significant on prognostic outcome. Notably, six HOXA and three HOXB genes were significantly in low expression and high methylation in AML with favorable cytogenetics. Meanwhile, the miRNA-HOX gene co-regulatory networks revealed that HOXA5 was a hub node and regulated an AML oncogene SPARC.

Conclusion: Our work may provide novel insights to the molecular characteristics and classification between AML with different cytogenetics.

Keywords: HOX gene; acute myeloid leukemia; cytogenetics aberration; gene co-regulatory network; membrane protein.

MeSH terms

  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Gene Regulatory Networks
  • Homeodomain Proteins / genetics*
  • Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / blood
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / classification
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / genetics*
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics*
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism

Substances

  • Homeodomain Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • MicroRNAs