Methylation of gene CHFR promoter in acute leukemia cells.

In order to explore whether gene CHFR was inactivated by methylation in leukemia cells, the expression of CHFR was examined before and after treatment with demethylation agent in Molt-4, Jurkat and U937 leukemia cell lines by means of RT-PCR. The methylation of promoter in Molt-4, Jurkat and U937 cells as well as 41 acute leukemia patients was analyzed by MS-PCR. The results showed that methylation of CHFR promoter was inactivated and could be reversed by treatment with a demethylating agent in Molt-4, Jurkat and U937. CHFR promoter methylation was detected in 39% of acute leukemia patients. There was no difference in incidence of CHFR promoter methylation between acute myelocytic leukemia and acute lymphocytic leukemia. In conclusion, CHFR is frequently inactivated in acute leukemia and is a good candidate for the leukemia supper gene. By affecting mitotic checkpoint function, CHFR inactivation likely plays a key role in tumorigenesis in acute leukemia. Moreover, the methylation of gene CHFR appears to be a good index with which to predict the sensitivity of acute leukemia to microtubule inhibitors.