[GDF11 level in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome and its clinical significance]

To detect the expression level of growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and to evaluate the relationship between GDF11 level and erythropoiesis functions.

A total of 44 MDS patients (18 low-risk group patients and 26 high-risk group patients) in Department of Hematology in Tianjin Medical University General Hospital and 10 normal controls were selected from September 2014 to June 2015. The concentration of GDF11 in peripheral blood was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). GDF11 mRNA expression in bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNC) was detected using RT-PCR method. The percentage of erythroid cells (CD235a) in bone marrow was detected by flow cytometry. The correlation between these indexes and erythropoiesis functions (including red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin level (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), reticulocyte percentage (Ret%), and proportion of nucleated eryhrocyte in bone marrow) were evaluated.

(1) The GDF11 level in peripheral blood was significantly higher in high-risk group ((128.67±47.62) μg/L) than in low-risk group ((65.96±36.55) μg/L, P<0.01) and in normal controls ((29.76±10.10) μg/L, P<0.01), also significantly higher in low-risk group than in normal controls (P<0.05). The concentration of GDF11 in severe/moderate anemic MDS patients ((80.97±9.94) μg/L) was higher than that in normal controls/ mild anemic MDS patients((66.82±19.52) μg/L), but with no statistically significant (P>0.05). (2) The percentages of CD235a(+) cells in high-risk and low-risk groups were 38.49%±5.42% and 42.64%±7.36%, respectively, showing no statistically significant difference (P>0.05). (3) In high-risk group, the GDF11 level in peripheral blood was negatively correlated with Hb, RBC and Hct in peripheral blood (r=-0.437, -0.430, -0.306, all P<0.05), and positively correlated with nucleated eryhrocyte, Ret%, MCV and CD235a(+) cells in bone marrow (r=0.465, 0.392, 0.505, 0.387, all P<0.05), but not correlated with MCH and MCHC (both P>0.05). In low-risk group, the GDF11 level in peripheral blood was positively correlated with CD235a(+) cells in bone marrow (r=0.429, P<0.05), and not correlated with Hb, RBC, Ret%, MCHC, MCV, MCH, Hct and nucleated eryhrocyte (all P>0.05). (4) The mRNA expression of GDF11 in MDS patients (39.82±14.55) was higher than that in the controls (1.84±0.64, P<0.01).

GDF11 level in peripheral blood is higher in patients with MDS and increases with the disease risk. The more severe the anemia, the higher the GDF11 level. It may be closely correlated with erythropoiesis indicators in MDS.