Publication Date:
2013-11-15
Description:
Background Leukemic stem cells depend on signals provided by bone marrow (BM) niche cells. Due to its function in stem cell biology, we investigated expression and prognostic impact of the Hedgehog pathway in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Methods and results Pre-treatment samples from 104 patients with newly diagnosed AML (AMLSG 07-04 trial) were analyzed by quantitative PCR. Expression of receptors Smoothened and Patched and downstream transcription factors Gli1, Gli2 and Gli3 was found in 69%, 41%, 73%, 20% and 26% of cases, respectively. However, no expression of Hedgehog ligands was observed. Gli2 expression had a significant influence on event-free, relapse-free and overall survival (p=0.037, p=0.026 and p=0.013, respectively) and was furthermore correlated to FLT3 mutational status (p
Print ISSN:
0006-4971
Electronic ISSN:
1528-0020
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
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