miR-146a expression level as a novel putative prognostic marker for acute promyelocytic leukemia
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Updated: Apr 25, 2026

Author Spotlight: Analyzing Bone Marrow Microenvironment in Murine Hematological Malignancies
Published on: November 10, 2023
Lan Xu1, Hua Zhong1, Haixia Wan1
1Department of Hematology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
Background:
Although the curative rate for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) has been improved over decades, long-term prognosis is still poor. The genetic pathways that regulated cell lineage fate during the development of APL remain unclear.
Methods:
We investigated the correlations of miR-146a expression with its target gene Smad4 and the biological behaviors of NB4 cells. We also analyzed their expression in clinical samples from APL patients.
Results:
miR-146a influenced apoptosis and proliferation in NB4 cells. miR-146a influenced endogenous Smad4 protein levels in APL cells. miR-146a expression levels were positively correlated with white cell counts and PML/RARα fusion protein expression. miR-146a expression levels were negatively correlated with Smad4 protein and the helper T cell (Th)/the suppressor T cell (Ts) ratio in these patients.
Conclusions:
These findings indicated that miR-146a played an important role in the development of APL in part through the repression on Smad4 protein expression. miR-146a functioned as an oncogene and may be a novel prognostic biomarker in APL.

