Abstract:
Objective: To quantify the expression of growth arrest and DNA damage inducible protein 45g (GADD45g) gene in the
bone marrow samples of patients with AML (acute myeloid leukemia) and in AML cell lines, as well as to study the correlation between
the GADD45g expression and prognostic outcome in patients with AML and investigate the role of GADD45g over-expression in prolif-
eration, apoptosis, senescence, differentiation, cell cycle arrest, and drug sensitivity in AML cell lines. Methods: In the study, a total of
27 cases of bone marrow specimens were selected from patients initially diagnosed as AML in Hospital of Blood Diseases affiliated to
Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from January 2013 to December 2016. mRNA and protein expression levels of GADD45g in
BMMNCs (Bone marrow mononuclear cells) from patients with AML and healthy donors and in AML cell lines were quantified by
quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting. The correlation between GADD45g expression and overall survival (OS), coupled
with event-free survival (EFS) in patients withAML was analyzed in two gene expression datasets (GSE10358, GSE425-GPL317). Len-
tiviral vectors over-expressing GADD45g were constructed and transfected into AML cell lines (U937, THP-1 and Molm-13 cell lines).
The role of GADD45g over-expression in cell proliferation, colony formation, senescence, apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, differentiation and drug sensitivity of U937, THP-1 and Molm-13 cells were detected by cell counting, colony-forming assay, β-galactosidase staining
and flow cytometric analysis of Annexin V/7AAD staining, PI staining and so on, respectively. Results: Expression of GADD45g was
dramatically down-regulated in BMMNCs in AML patients and AML cell lines compared to that from healthy donors (all P<0.01). The
OS (P<0.05) and EFS (P<0.05) of AML patients with low GADD45g expression were significantly shorter that those of AML patients
with higher GADD45g level. Enforced expression of GADD45g could inhibit cell growth and colony formation, promote senescence
and apoptosis, induce cell cycle arrest and differentiation and enhance drug sensitivity in AML cell lines (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclu-
sion: GADD45g expression was remarkably silenced in marrow tissues of patients with AML and AML cell lines; it showed remarkable
and all-around inhibiting effect onAML cell lines, indicating that GADD45g expression has prognostic value inAML.