Changes in Loc285758 Expression in Response to Cytarabine- Based Treatment in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Long non-coding RNAs are non-coding RNAs, which contribute to different biological processes. The expression of these RNAs alters in various diseases. This study aimed to compare the expression of long non-coding RNA genes in newly diagnosed patients with de novo acute myeloid leukemia and to evaluate their response to cytarabine-based treatment. In this cross-sectional study, approved by the Ethics Committee of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (Shiraz, Iran), the expression of LOC285758, IRAIN, and HOTAIR was examined in de novo AML patients at Namazi Teaching Hospital during 2019-2020. The patients, treated with standard regimens, were compared with the controls, using quantitative real time- polymerase chain reaction assay. After whole blood samples were collected from the subjects, total RNA was extracted by Trizol reagent from whole blood. Next, cDNA was synthesized, and the expression levels of LOC285758, HOTAIR, and IRAIN were analyzed by RT-PCR assay, using SYBER Green Master Mix and 2-ΔΔCt method. The results showed that the expression of LOC285758 was significantly upregulated in AML patients, compared to the controls (P< 0.001). After complete remission, the expression of LOC285758 was re-evaluated in patients. It was found that LOC285758 was significantly downregulated in de novo AML patients (P=0.001). The expression of HOTAIR, similar to IRAIN, did not change in de novo AML patients, whereas it was downregulated in patients with complete remission, compared to the controls. The present findings indicated that LOC285758 could discriminate AML patients from the healthy controls and indicate the patients' response to treatment.