Background: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous hematologic malignancy that predominantly affects adults. In addition to genetic mutations, epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications, play crucial roles in leukemogenesis. This study explored the association between the methylation status of the Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 1 (SOCS1) gene and the expression of Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 (EZH2) gene in patients with AML.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 85 AML patients admitted to Ghaem Hospital (Mashhad, Iran) between April 2017 and March 2023. Patients were diagnosed according to the criteria of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the French-American-British (FAB) classification. The expression levels of EZH2 gene and the methylation patterns of SOCS1 gene were analyzed. The associations between these epigenetic features, demographic characteristics, and clinical outcomes were assessed.
Results: Our findings indicated a significant inverse relationship between EZH2 expression and SOCS1 gene methylation. Furthermore, EZH2 overexpression and hypomethylation of the SOCS1 gene were associated with reduced overall survival.
Conclusion: This study highlighted a significant inverse relationship between EZH2 expression and SOCS1 methylation in AML patients. Given the impact of these two epigenetic processes on hematopoiesis and leukemogenesis, additional research is required to further elucidate the precise dynamics between EZH2 and SOCS1 in AML.