ObjectiveTo establish the acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL) transplanted tumor mouse models labled with green fluorescent protein(GFP)and to study the methylation changes in the serum circulating free DNA (cfDNA) during the extramedullary infiltration, and to provide the theroretical and experimental basis for monitoring extramedullary infiltration of ALL.
MethodsSixty ICR mices were randonly divided into control group,treatment 15 d group and treatment 30 d group,with 20 mice in each group,and the ALL transplanted tumor mouse models labled with GFP were established by tail vein injection, the extramedullary infiltration of leukemia cells was derected by flow cytometry.The expression levels of ten-eleven-translocation2(TET2), DNA methyltransferase 3 alpha(DNMT3a), DNA methyltransferase 3 beta(DNMT3b), Wnt family member 5A(Wnt5A) and long interspersed nuclear elements(LINE-1) mRNA in the blood of the mice in various groups were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR) and the methylation levels in the promoter region of Wnt5A and LINE-1 in the blood of the mice in various groups were determined by bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP).
ResultsSignificant green fluorescence was found in the spleen tissue of the mice in treatment 15 d group and treatment 30 d group, and the fluorescence intensity in treatment 30 d group was higher than that in treatment 15 d group. The mass of spleen of the mice in treatment 30 d group was higher than that in control group(P<0.05), and the splenomegaly was significant.The flow cytometry results showed that compared with control group, the fluorescence intensity of peripheral blood cells in treatment 15 d group and treatment 30 d group were increased significantly, and the fluorescence intensity in treatment 30 d group was higher than that in treatment 15 d group(P<0.05). Compared with control group, the expression levels of Wnt5A and TET2 mRNA in treatment 15 d group and treatment 30 d group were decreased significantly(P<0.05). The expression levels of LINE-1, DNMT3a and DNMT3b mRNA were increased significantly(P<0.05). Compared with control group, the methylation levels of LINE-1 promoter in serum of the mice in treatment 15 d group and treatment 30 d group were decreased significantly(P<0.05),and hypomethylation was gradually showed during infiltration; the methylation level of Wnt5aA promoter of tumor suppressor gene was increased significantly(P<0.05).
ConclusionExtramedullary infiltration occurres early in the establishment of ALL fransplanted tumor mouse models.the abnormal methylation of Wnt5A and LINE-1 promoter in serum cfDNA affects their abnormal expressions. The methylation detection of specific ectopic sites in cfDNA can provide a new method and strategy for early diagnosis and treatment monitoring of ALL.