Studying the potential of upregulated PTGS2 and VEGF-C besides hyper-methylation of PTGS2 promoter as biomarkers of Acute myeloid leukemia

Mol Biol Rep. 2022 Aug;49(8):7849-7862. doi: 10.1007/s11033-022-07615-7. Epub 2022 Jun 22.

Abstract

Hereby, we aimed to investigate the expression of prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) and Vascular Endothelial Factor-C (VEGF-C) besides the methylation of PTGS2 in AML patients. VEGF-C and PTGS2 expression analysis were evaluated in newly diagnosed AML patients and healthy controls by quantitative Reverse Transcriptase PCR method. Also, PTGS2 methylation status was evaluated by Methylation-Sensitive High-Resolution Melting Curve Analysis (MS-HRM). While 34% of patients were female, the mean age of the patients was 43.41 ± 17.60 years suffering mostly from M4 (48.21%) type of AML. Although methylation level between patients and controls was not significantly different, none of the normal controls showed methylation in the PTGS2 promoter. PTGS2 and VEGF-C levels were elevated in AML cases and correlated with WBC, Platelet, and Hemoglobin levels. The survival of patients with overexpressed VEGF-C and PTGS2 was poorer than others. It can be concluded that PTGS2 and especially VEGF-C expression but not PTGS2 methylation can be considered as diagnostic biomarkers for AML.

Keywords: DNA methylation; Gene expression; Leukemia, myeloid, acute; PTGS2 protein, human; Real-time polymerase chain reaction; Vascular endothelial growth factor C.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biomarkers
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 / genetics
  • DNA Methylation / genetics
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute* / genetics
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C* / genetics

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C
  • Cyclooxygenase 2
  • PTGS2 protein, human