The Relationship between Mutation in HOXB1 Gene and Acute Myeloid Leukemia

HOX genes are an exceedingly preserved family of homeodomain-involving transcription factors. They are related to a number of malignancies, comprising acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of HOXB1 7bp deletion mutation on HOXB1gene expression in 36 individuals.

The present cross-sectional study was done on a large Iranian family. In this experimental study, 5 homozygous 7bp deletion individuals along with their unaffected siblings and their parents were investigated. The candidate gene, HOXB1 was screened and analyzed in blood samples of these participants. After RNA extraction, cDNA was synthesized according to manufacturer’s protocol. HOXB1 expression level was analyzed by 2ΔΔCT method. All laboratory procedures used in this experimental study were carried out in genetic laboratory of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences.

Sequence analysis of HOXB1 gene by ABI Prism 3130 Genetic Analyzer (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA, USA) revealed a family with 5 homozygous (22±17 years) and 22 healthy heterozygous carriers (42±19 years) for 7bp deletion in HOXB1 gene along with 9  healthy wild type (55±41 years). Gene expression analysis by RT-qPCR demonstrated that expression level of HOXB1 gene in wild type and heterozygous carriers specimens had similar levels (p=0.05).

Although HOXB1 mutations has been reported in AML, but association between HOXB1 mutation and AML was not found in our study. Additionally, HOXB1 expression levels showed no significant difference between wild type and heterozygous carriers. So, HOXB1 gene expression cannot provide a powerful tool to differentiate wild type from heterozygous carries.