The miRNA Profile in Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Patients with Secondary Myelodysplasia

Abstract

Myelodysplastic syndromes are a group of clonal diseases of hematopoietic stem cells and are characterized by multilineage dysplasia, ineffective hematopoiesis, peripheral blood cytopenias, genetic instability and a risk of transformation to acute myeloid leukemia. Some patients with non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs) may have developed secondary myelodysplasia before therapy. Bone marrow (BM) hematopoiesis is regulated by a spectrum of epigenetic factors, among which microRNAs (miRNAs) are special. The aim of this work is to profile miRNA expression in BM cells in untreated NHL patients with secondary myelodysplasia. A comparative analysis of miRNA expression levels between the NHL and non-cancer blood disorders samples revealed that let-7a-5p was upregulated, and miR-26a-5p, miR-199b-5p, miR-145-5p and miR-150-5p were downregulated in NHL with myelodysplasia (p < 0.05). We for the first time developed a profile of miRNA expression in BM samples in untreated NHL patients with secondary myelodysplasia. It can be assumed that the differential diagnosis for blood cancers and secondary BM conditions based on miRNA expression profiles will improve the accuracy and relevance of the early diagnosis of cancerous and precancerous lesions in BM.

Keywords: anemia; miRNA; myelodysplasia; myelodysplastic syndromes; non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Figure 1

miRNA relative expression levels in non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas without myelodysplasia (NHL (−MD); n = 22), non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas with myelodysplasia and without anemia (NHL (+MD) (−A); n = 11), non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas with myelodysplasia and anemia (NHL (+MD) (+A); n = 8) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS; n = 19) against non-cancerous blood diseases (NCBD; n = 58). The figure presents the median value, the upper and lower quartiles, the non-outlier range and outliers appearing as the circles.

Figure 1

miRNA relative expression levels in non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas without myelodysplasia (NHL (−MD); n = 22), non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas with myelodysplasia and without anemia (NHL (+MD) (−A); n = 11), non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas with myelodysplasia and anemia (NHL (+MD) (+A); n = 8) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS; n = 19) against non-cancerous blood diseases (NCBD; n = 58). The figure presents the median value, the upper and lower quartiles, the non-outlier range and outliers appearing as the circles.

Figure 1

miRNA relative expression levels in non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas without myelodysplasia (NHL (−MD); n = 22), non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas with myelodysplasia and without anemia (NHL (+MD) (−A); n = 11), non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas with myelodysplasia and anemia (NHL (+MD) (+A); n = 8) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS; n = 19) against non-cancerous blood diseases (NCBD; n = 58). The figure presents the median value, the upper and lower quartiles, the non-outlier range and outliers appearing as the circles.