DNMT3A R882 mutation is associated with elevated expression of MAFB and M4/M5 immunophenotype of acute myeloid leukemia blasts

Abstract

Researchers have recognized that aberrant methylation is an important initiating event in the pathogenesis of hematological malignancies. DNMT3A is a DNA methyltransferase that plays a vital role in de novo methylation of DNA. Somatic mutation of DNMT3A, especially at the Arg882 (R882) site of the DNMT3A coding sequence, has been identified in pre-leukemic stem cell clones as one of the driver mutations of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Statistical analysis has indicated that patients with AML with DNMT3A mutation tend to have the M4/M5 subtype of AML according to the French–American–British classification. In this study we aimed to investigate the association between the typical immunophenotype of leukemic blasts and mutation of DNMT3A R882. In addition, we further determined the relationship between DNMT3A R882 mutation and the expression of monocytic differentiation genes, and its clinical significance.

Keywords::

• DNMT3A
• immunophenotype
• differentiation
• monocyte
• MAFB

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge Mr Chaohong Yu for expert editorial assistance. We also acknowledge research grant funding from the National Science Foundation of China (Nos. 81200382; 81270600; 81025011).

Potential conflict of interest

Disclosure forms provided by the authors are available with the full text of this article at www.informahealthcare.com/lal.

Supplementary material available online

Tables showing further results