Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026
Use of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation to Assess the Origin of Myelodysplastic Syndrome
Published on: October 3, 2018
Prognostic Significance of miR-181a and miR-181b Expression and NPM1 Mutations in Patients With Acute Myeloid
Mahdiyar Iravani Saadi1, Nasrin Noshadi, Mani Ramzi
1>From the Hematology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Objectives:
MicroRNAs play an essential role in acute myeloid leukemia pathogenesis, including cell survival, differentiation, and proliferation. We aimed to examine miR -181a and miR -181b expression levels in patients with recently diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia, focusing on those who developed acute graft -versus -host disease, and to characterize NPM 1 mutations present in these patients.
Materials And Methods:
We compared miR -181a and miR-181b expression levels in 150 newly diagnosed patients with acute myeloid leukemia and NPM1 mutation subtypes and healthy controls, along with various risk groups (high, intermediate, favorable risk ), M3 versus non -M 3, with and without graft -versus -host disease, and response or no response to therapy. We used quantitative SYBR green real -time polymerase chain reactions for evaluations.
Results:
Patients with acute myeloid leukemia and NPM1 mutation B exhibited significantly higher miR -181a expression (3.4 -fold increase, P = .008 ), whereas miR -181b was reduced across all patients with acute myeloid leukemia (18.3 -fold decrease, P < .001 ). Receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated that miR -181a distinguished acute myeloid leukemia from controls (area under the curve of 0.81 ). Among recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplant, those with versus those without acute graft -versus -host disease and NPM1 mutation C showed significantly elevated miR -181a expression (P = .002 ), with 80.0 % sensitivity and 85.7 % specificity for predicting acute graft -versus -host disease. Baseline miR -181a expression in patients with NPM1 mutation B was significantly associated with response to therapy (P = .001 ). Expression of miR-181a also differed between M3 and non-M3 French-American-British subtypes (P = .05 ). NPM1 mutation A was significantly more prevalent in patients with acute myeloid leukemia compared with controls (P = .04 ).
Conclusions:
miR -181a is a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in acute myeloid leukemia, particularly for distinguishing French -American -British subtypes and predicting acute graft -versus -host disease in patients with NPM1 mutations undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant. These findings warrant further validation in larger cohorts.
Insights
MicroRNA-181a shows promise as a biomarker for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) diagnosis and prognosis. It can distinguish AML subtypes and predict graft-versus-host disease in patients with NPM1 mutations.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Molecular Biology
- Oncology
Background:
- MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) pathogenesis, influencing cell survival, differentiation, and proliferation.
- Specific miRNAs, like miR-181a and miR-181b, are implicated in AML development and progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression levels of miR-181a and miR-181b in newly diagnosed AML patients.
- To correlate miRNA expression with NPM1 mutations, graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), and treatment response.
- To evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic potential of miR-181a in AML.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative SYBR green real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to measure miR-181a and miR-181b expression.
- Expression levels were compared between 150 newly diagnosed AML patients (with NPM1 mutations) and healthy controls.
- Analyses included stratification by risk groups, French-American-British (FAB) subtypes (M3 vs. non-M3), GvHD status, and treatment response.
Main Results:
- miR-181a was significantly upregulated in AML patients with NPM1 mutation B (3.4-fold increase, P = .008).
- miR-181b was significantly downregulated across all AML patients (18.3-fold decrease, P < .001).
- miR-181a demonstrated diagnostic potential for AML (AUC = 0.81) and predicted GvHD in transplant recipients with NPM1 mutation C (80.0% sensitivity, 85.7% specificity).
- Elevated baseline miR-181a correlated with treatment response in NPM1 mutation B patients (P = .001) and differed between FAB M3 and non-M3 subtypes (P = .05).
- NPM1 mutation A was more prevalent in AML patients than controls (P = .04).
Conclusions:
- miR-181a serves as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in AML.
- It aids in distinguishing FAB subtypes and predicting GvHD in NPM1-mutated patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant.
- Further validation in larger patient cohorts is recommended.
