Objective: To evaluate the function and clinical value of cyclin E and p27 in adult acute leukemia (AL).
Methods: The protein expression of cyclin E, p27, p170 and cell cycle distribution was measured in the bone marrow samples of 60 adult patients with AL and 17 controls with flow cytometric analysis. The mRNA levels of cyclin E, p27, MRP in 46 cases of AL and 17 controls were examined with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction method.
Results: The expression of cyclin E in AL patients was higher than that in controls (P < 0.01), so was the expression of p27 (P < 0.05). However in G(2)/M phase the expression rate of cyclin E in AL patients was not so apparently different with that in control (P < 0.05) so was that of p27 (P > 0.05). There was a positive correlation between the protein expression of cyclin E and p27. The remission rate (44.8%) in patients with over expression of cyclin E was lower than that (77.4%) in patients with normal expression of cyclin E (P < 0.01). The relapse rate (92.3%) in over expression group was higher than that (41.7%) in normal expression group (P = 0.003). No significant difference in remission rate or relapse rate was found between p27 over expression group and normal expression group (P > 0.50, P = 0.89).
Conclusion: Over expression of cyclin E may implicate occurrence and progression of AL. Over expression of cyclin E is an important influential factor for remission rate and relapse rate in AL patients.