[Study of WIF-1 promoter methylation with expressions of β-catenin in acute leukemia].

Objective: To explore the significance of WIF-1 gene promoter methylation and the expression of β-catenin in acute leukemia (AL) patients.

Methods: The method of methylation specific polymerase chain reaction was employed to detect the status of WIF-1 gene methylation in 55 acute leukemia patients and normal controls from January 2009 to June 2010 in our hospital. The expression of β-catenin was measured by flow cytometry.

Results: The methylation of WIF-1 gene promoter was found in 32.7% (18/55) AL patients. And the percentage was significantly higher than that of the controls (0). The patients with the methylation of WIF-1 gene had a lower complete remission rate (38.9%, 7/18) for the first chemotherapy than those without (81.1%, 30/37) (P < 0.05). The expressions of β-catenin in methylation AL patients and those with non-methylation were 17.5% ± 3.3% and 15.4% ± 3.6% respectively. And they were significantly higher than the controls (10.5% ± 1.5%, P < 0.05). The expression of β-catenin was higher in positive methylation patients than those negative ones (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: The methylation of WIF-1 gene promoter and β-catenin may be involved in the abnormal activation of Wnt/β-catenin signal in acute leukemia.