High expression of ERCC1, FLT1, NME4 and PCNA associated with poor prognosis and advanced stages in myelodysplastic syndrome.

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) represents a good model for research of prognostic/progression markers due to frequent transformation into acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We analysed expression profiles of 26 MDS and 6 AML patients using cDNA arrays comprising 588 gene probes. The array data were validated in a larger set of 46 patients by qRT-PCR. Data analysis identified differently expressed genes in MDS and the cluster of four genes (ERCC1, FLT1, NME4 and PCNA) whose expression was correlated with MDS subtypes. High expression of these genes was associated with poor prognosis and/or unfavorable outcome. Furthermore, PCNA expression was correlated with peripheral blood blast percentage (r = 0.71, p < 0.05), while the other genes showed non-significant correlation. Our findings demonstrate the progressive up-regulation of the genes along the sequence of 5q-syndrome/RCMD/RAEB/de novo AML, suggesting their association with disease progression.