Gene expression profiling of myelodysplastic CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells treated in vitro with decitabine

Epigenetic mechanisms contribute to deregulated gene expression of hematopoietic progenitors in Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS). Hypomethylating agents are able to improve peripheral cytopenias in MDS patients. To identify critical gene expression changes induced by hypomethylating agents, we analyzed gene expression profiling (GEP) of myelodysplastic and normal CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells treated in vitro with or without decitabine. Four MDS and two untreated early stage Hodgkins lymphomas were analyzed for GEP. Mock treated CD34+ stem cells segregate according to diagnosis and karyotype. After decitabine treatment, gene expression changes were more consistent on MDS CD34+ cells with abnormal kayotype. Comparing decitabine-induced genes with those found down-regulated in mock-treated MDS cells, we identified a list of candidate tumor suppressor genes in MDS. By real-time RT-PCR we confirmed expression changes for three selected genes CD9, CXCR4 and GATA2 in 12 MDS patients and 4 controls. CD9 was widely repressed in most MDS CD34+ cell samples, although similar levels of methylation were found in both normal and MDS total bone marrows. CXCR4 promoter methylation was absent in total bone marrows from 36 MDS patients. In conclusion, changes in gene expression changes induced by hypomethylating treatment are more pronounced in CD34+ cells from abnormal karyotype.

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Giachelia M, D'Alò F, Fabiani E, Saulnier N, Di Ruscio A, Guidi F, Hohaus S, Voso MT, Leone G