Investigation of ALL Immunophenotyping and MEG 3 Gene Expression Related to the Risk of ALL in Sample of Iraqi Patients

Abstract

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a childhood malignancy caused by lymphoblast accumulation in the bone marrow. Long noncoding RNA maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3), is gradually realized as a tumor suppressor in hematological malignancies. Aim. The study aimed to investigate the type of ALL (Immunophenotyping) and MEG3 gene expression related to the risk of ALL. Methods.  At the Central Teaching Hospital of Pediatric in Baghdad, blood samples were collected from 50 patients comprised 25 boys and 25 girls, the most common age group was 6-10 years and 50 healthy children as control group. Immunophenotyping was done by flow cytometry (FCM), while MEG 3 gene expression was assessed by Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). Results.  The result of estimation WBCs count, Hb, platelet count for ALL patients was revealed that WBCs count, Hb, platelet count level (27.99 ±6.93 x 10⁹/ L,7.85 ±0.34 g/dl and 92.90 ±14.80 x 109/ L) respectively in patients compared with control (6.66 ±0.18 x 10⁹/L, 12.76 ±0.15 g/dl and 307.42 ±14.19 x 10⁹/ L) respectively at high significant difference (P≤0.01). The most prevalent subtype of ALL was B-ALL. The estimation of MEG3 gene expression showed significant lower in patient’ s group at the time of diagnosis with ALL in comparison with healthy control and patients’ group during treatment which consider the higher expression between other groups with high significant difference (P≤0.01). Conclusion.  B-ALL is more common than T-ALL in children and gene expression of MEG3 gene is downregulate at the time of diagnosis then upregulate after chemotherapy within few days.