Expression of microRNA miR-34a inhibits leukemia stem cells and its metastasis

S. Wang, T. Wang, M.-Z. Li, X.-L. Cheng, X.-L. Li

Department of Neonatal Medicine, Wuhan Medical $ Health Care Center for Women and Children (Wuhan Children’s Hospital Wuhan Women and Children Care Hospital), Wuhan, China. lixiaolan1978@yahoo.com

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• Hematology

OBJECTIVE: To study the expression profile and role of microRNA miR-34a in Leukemia stem cells (LSC) and during its metastasis. We examined upon the enforced expression of miR-34a in TIM3 positive leukemia stem cells and study the impact of leukemia stem cells and its metastasis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Samples were collected from acute myeloid leukemia (AML) children along with controls. Immunohistochemistry analysis was performed with TIM3 antibody followed by Sorting of TIM3 positive cells by flow cytometry and the expression level of miR-34a was quantified by qRT-PCR assay.

RESULTS: Immunohistochemistry in accordance with Sorting of TIM3 positive cells by flow cytometry concludes that the leukemia stem cells (LSC) were present in the samples. Induced expression of miR-34a in TIM3 positive leukemia stem cells (LSC), inhibits the clonogenic expansion, tumor progression and metastasis of leukemia.

CONCLUSIONS: The enforced expression of miR-34a in TIM3 positive leukemia stem cells inhibits the leukemia stem cells and its metastasis. Our study illustrates that miR-34a is a key regulator and which will be developed as a novel therapeutic agent against leukemia stem cells (LSC).

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