Study on aberration in histone methylation and acetylation in acute leukemia

Objective: To study the aberration in histone H3K4 and H3K9 methylation and H3 and H4 acetylation in human acute leukemia (AL) cells.

Methods: The histone H3K4 and H3K9 methylation and H3 and H4 acetylation were detected by Western blot in 34 AL patients and 13 controls (9 non leukemia patients, 4 healthy volunteers).

Results: The level of H3K4 methylation was significantly lower in 19 AL patients than in non leukemia (0.220 ± 0.096 vs 0.447 ± 0.186, P < 0.01), while the level of H3K9 methylation was significantly higher (0.409 ± 0.106 vs 0.168 ± 0.015, P < 0.01); Both level of histone H3 and H4 acetylation in 15 AL patients were significantly lower (H3: 0.128 ± 0.013 vs 0.386 ± 0.104, H4: 0.096 ± 0.008 vs 0.341 ± 0.096, respectively, both P < 0.01).

Conclusions: Aberration of histone methylation and deficient histone acetylation in AL may represent the markers for an aberrant post-translational modification of histones and chromatin structure. It might be a potential epigenetic target for anti-leukemia agent.