Expression Of PTEN MRNA In Acute Leukemia And Its Clinical Significance

PTEN is a new gene which was found in 1997 and was named as phosphatase and tensin homolog. This gene is located at chromosome 10q23.3 and contains a tension like domain as well as a catalytic domain similar to that of the dual specificity protein tyrosine phosphatases. It has 9 exons and encodes a 403-amino acid. It functions as a tumor suppressor by regulating cell signaling pathways, cell proliferation and cell cycle. The somatic deletions and mutations of PTEN gene have been found in several cancer cell lines and primary cancers including glioma, breast, endometrium, prostate, thyroid, and malignant melanoma, and most frequently found in advanced cancers. On the basis of such findings, PTEN has been considered to play a crucial part in the development and progression of various types of tumors. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive malignancy that generally leads to a poor-outcome. In this study, we apply RT-PCR to explore PTEN gene expression and its clinical significance in leukemia.