Smac/DIABLO gene expression in acute myeloid leukemia patients

Ghada A. Suliman¹, Maaly M. Mabrouk¹, Enaam S. Rabee¹, Amr Gawaly^2
1 Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
² Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt

Correspondence Address:
Maaly M. Mabrouk
MD, Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, 31527 Tanta
Egypt

Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None

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DOI: 10.7123/01.EJH.0000428063.29317.e1

Smac/DIABLO enhances apoptosis by antagonizing the inhibitors of apoptotic proteins. The expression of Smac/DIABLO in different cancers has been reported. The study aimed to evaluate Smac/DIABLO gene expression in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and also to determine its relation to the clinical outcome and survival of these patients.

Smac/DIABLO gene expression was studied using real-time PCR in bone marrow samples from 70 newly diagnosed AML patients.

The Smac/DIABLO gene was expressed in 88.5% of AML patients. A total of 32 patients (51.6%) with positive Smac/DIABLO expression responded to treatment, and the remaining 30 patients (48.4%) were treatment resistant. Smac/DIABLO expression was associated with decreased lactate dehydrogenase levels and increased disease-free survival (P=0.01 and P<0.001, respectively). The expression was associated with an increase in the survival rate (P<0.05).

There was an increase of Smac/DIABLO expression in AML patients, and this was associated with the treatment response, increased disease-free survival, and better overall survival.