[Id4 gene methylation for detection of minimal residual disease in acute leukemia].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the possibility of Id4 gene promoter methylation as a biomarker for minimal residual disease (MRD) detection in acute leukemia. METHODS: Methylation specific-PCR technique was used to detect Id4 gene methylation in samples with different percentages of leukemia cells from leukemia cell line and bone marrows from leukemia patients in complete remission (CR). RESULTS: Id4 gene methylation could be detected in samples containing 1% or lower leukemia cells. Frequency of Id4 gene methylation in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients in CR was 64.3% being higher than that in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients in CR. In 14 ALL patients with Id4 gene methylation, 8 relapsed in 12 months, while only one relapsed in 9 patients without Id4 gene methylation. In 8 AML patients with Id4 gene methylation, 5 relapsed in 12 months, while two relapsed in 20 AML patients with Id4 gene methylation. CONCLUSION: Id4 gene promoter methylation is a candidate of biomarker for MRD detection in acute leukemias.