The prognostic value of cN-II and cN-III enzymes in adult acute myeloid leukemia

Abstract

We analyzed the expression of deoxycytidine kinase (dCK), UMP/CMP-kinase (UMP/CMP-K), nucleotide diphosphokinase (NDPK-B) and 5'-nucleotidases cN-II, cN-III, cdN and mdN by quantitative polymerase chain reaction at diagnosis in leukemic blasts from 96 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treated with ara-C. Our results show that high mRNA levels of cN-II and low mRNA levels of cN-III are correlated with a worse clinical outcome and suggest that these enzymes may have a role in sensitivity to ara-C in AML patients.