Methylation Profile of Von Hippel Lindau Gene Promoter in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Patients

Background: DNA methylation is an epigenetic mechanism that often modifies the function of genes and affects gene expression, which may sometimes lead to cancer development. Tumor suppressor genes such as VHL (Von Hippel-Lindau) may be silenced when affected by epigenetic alteration. This study investigated the DNA methylation of VHL gene in ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) patients with methylation specific PCR (MSP). Methods: The DNA of peripheral blood and bone marrow cells of 26 ALL patients and 26 healthy control subjects were extracted, treated with bisulfite, and VHL gene methylation was subsequently analyzed using the MSP technique. Results: None of the patients showed signs of methylation in the VHL gene. Conclusion: Due to the lack of methylation in the VHL gene promoter in patients and in the healthy control group, it is unlikely that the methylation of this gene can be used in the diagnosis and prognosis of ALL patients.