Serum miR-22 is a novel prognostic marker for acute myeloid leukemia

Abstract

Background It has been demonstrated that aberrant expression of serum microRNAs is potential markers for the prognostic prediction of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, the clinical significance of serum miR-22 remained uncovered. In this study, we aimed to explore the potential prognostic value of serum miR-22 for AML. Methods Blood samples were collected from 124 patients with AML and 60 healthy individuals. Serum miR-22 level was detected by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and its potential clinical value was investigated. Results Our results showed that serum miR-22 expression was significantly downregulated in AML subjects compared to healthy controls. Serum miR-22 levels were lowest in AML patients with M4/M5 subtypes, and low serum miR-22 expression occurred more frequently in AML patients with higher white blood cell counts or poor cytogenetic risk. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed that serum miR-22 well differentiated AML cases from healthy controls. In addition, serum miR-22 downregulation was closely associated with worse clinical features and shorter survival. Low serum miR-22 expression was confirmed to be an independent predictor for overall survival and relapse-free survival in AML patients. Moreover, the expression level of serum miR-22 was dramatically increased following treatment. In addition, serum miR-22 levels were significantly higher in AML patients achieving complete remission (CR) than those without CR. Conclusion Collectively, serum miR-22 might serve as a novel and promising prognostic biomarker for AML.