Background and Objective: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a new class of non-coding RNAs that are currently being studied extensively. LncRNAs have many biological roles in gene expression, cell development and diseases. Recent studies showed that lncRNAs have an important role in cancers, including hematopoietic disorders which can be a tool for easier diagnosis and prognosis of many diseases and also a possible alternative treatment. This study investigates the expression of long non-coding RNA HOTAIR, in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).

Materials and Methods: Peripheral blood samples were collected from 30 patients with CML and 20 healthy controls.  The selected patients had no history of treatment and all patients were positive for BCR-ABL. Healthy controls were chosen based on similarity with the patients' age and gender and had no history of disease. Total RNA was extracted from the patients and healthy controls and HOTAIR gene expression levels were measured using qRT-PCR technique.

Results: Quantitative comparison of gene expression between the patients and normal controls showed that HOTAIR gene expression in patients with CML is significantly increased compared to healthy individuals (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Our findings showed that changes in the expression of HOTAIR gene can be involved in the biology of chronic myeloid leukemia.