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Abstract This study aimed to assess beclin-1 gene expression as a marker of autophagy in CML, and to evaluate the effect of imatinib therapy on its expression. Subjects were classified into three groups: group I (CML patients in chronic phase): Included 17 patient newly diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (by characteristic peripheral blood picture & BCR-ABL gene detection) and they were followed up four weeks after treatment with imatinib. Their ages ranged from 30 to 67 years with mean ±SD (50.5 ± 11.9) and this group included 13 males (76.5%) and 4 females (23.5%). group II: (CML patients in accelerated phase): Included 18 patients diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (they were selected according to WHO criteria for accelerated phase of CML, all of them had BM. blast (10-19%) and four of them had platelet count < 100,000/microlitre) and they were followed up four weeks after treatment with imatinib. Their ages ranged from 31 to 70 years with mean ±SD (50.2 ± 10.1) and this group included 11 males (61.1%) and 7 females (38.9%). group III: (control group): Included 15 apparently healthy subjects matched for age and sex for patient group and their ages ranged from 31 to 70 years with mean ±SD (49.7±11.1) and this group included 10 males (66.7%) and 5 females (33.3%). Both patients and control groups were subjected to the following: 1-Complete history taking: Considering age, sex, fever , bleeding tendency, easy fatigability, skin rash and liver disease. 2- Clinical examination: Including: pallor, purpura , liver , spleen and lymph nodes enlargement. 3- Abdominal ultrasonography to detect hepatosplenomegally for patients only. 4- Laboratory investigations: A) Routine investigations: 1-Complete blood count 2-ESR 3-Random blood glucose, liver function and renal function tests including (urea, creatinine and uric acid) B) Diagnostic investigations: 1- Examination of Leishman-stained peripheral blood smears for differential leucocytic count and assessment of blast cell number. 2- Bone marrow aspiration and examination of leishman-stained smears. 3- BCR-ABL gene expression detection by quantitative RT- PCR. C) Special investigations: Beclin-1 gene expression detection by quantitative RT-PCR. |