DNA strand with glowing methyl groups symbolizing hope in cancer research

ITGBL1 Methylation: A New Marker for AML Prognosis?

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Samir D’Costa in Health & Wellness June 2025 • 5 min read.

"Discover how ITGBL1 methylation could revolutionize acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treatment and monitoring."


Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. In AML, the bone marrow produces large numbers of abnormal blood cells, which prevent the normal blood cells from doing their jobs. AML can be challenging to treat because it can develop resistance to current treatments. Researchers are always looking for new ways to predict how well a patient will respond to treatment and to identify new targets for therapy.

One area of increasing interest is the role of DNA methylation in cancer. DNA methylation is a process where a methyl group is added to DNA, which can change the activity of a gene without changing its sequence. Aberrant DNA methylation patterns are common in cancer, and these changes can affect how cancer cells grow and spread. Identifying and understanding these methylation patterns can provide new insights into cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment.

A recent study investigated the role of ITGBL1 (integrin beta-like 1) methylation in AML. ITGBL1 is a gene that produces a protein similar to integrins, which are involved in cell adhesion and communication. The researchers found that increased methylation of the ITGBL1 gene was associated with poorer outcomes in AML patients. This discovery suggests that ITGBL1 methylation could be a new biomarker for predicting prognosis and monitoring disease status in AML.

Decoding ITGBL1 Methylation: What the Study Revealed

DNA strand with glowing methyl groups symbolizing hope in cancer research

The study, published in the Journal of Cellular Physiology, examined the methylation patterns of ITGBL1 in 131 patients with AML and 29 healthy controls. The researchers used real-time methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (RQ-MSP) and bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP) to detect methylation of the ITGBL1 promoter. They also used real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) to analyze ITGBL1 transcript levels. By comparing the ITGBL1 methylation levels in AML patients and healthy individuals, the research team aimed to understand how this epigenetic modification affects the disease.

The results of the study indicated that AML patients had significantly higher levels of ITGBL1 methylation compared to the control group (p < 0.001). This finding suggests that ITGBL1 is frequently hypermethylated in AML. Additionally, the researchers observed that patients with ITGBL1 hypermethylation tended to have a higher percentage of bone marrow blasts, which are immature blood cells that are a hallmark of AML. Although this trend was not statistically significant (p = 0.076), it hinted at a possible link between ITGBL1 methylation and disease severity.

  • Higher Methylation Levels: AML patients showed significantly higher ITGBL1 methylation compared to healthy controls (p < 0.001).
  • Bone Marrow Blasts: A trend toward higher bone marrow blast percentages in ITGBL1-hypermethylated patients (p = 0.076).
  • Complete Remission Rates: ITGBL1-hypermethylated patients showed a trend towards lower complete remission rates (p = 0.102).
  • Survival Rates: ITGBL1-hypermethylated patients had significantly shorter overall survival (OS) and leukemia-free survival (LFS) (p = 0.009 and 0.043, respectively).
The study also found that ITGBL1-hypermethylated patients had significantly shorter overall survival (OS) and leukemia-free survival (LFS) compared to those with lower ITGBL1 methylation (p = 0.009 and 0.043, respectively). This finding suggests that ITGBL1 methylation is associated with poorer outcomes in AML patients. Furthermore, multivariate analysis confirmed that ITGBL1 methylation was an independent prognostic factor in AML (p = 0.030), meaning that it can predict patient outcomes regardless of other clinical and genetic factors.

The Future of AML Treatment: Personalizing Care with ITGBL1

In conclusion, this study provides compelling evidence that ITGBL1 methylation is a promising biomarker for predicting prognosis and monitoring disease status in AML. The findings suggest that incorporating ITGBL1 methylation assessment into routine clinical practice could help identify high-risk patients who may benefit from more aggressive treatment strategies. Moreover, monitoring changes in ITGBL1 methylation levels during therapy could provide valuable insights into treatment response and help guide clinical decision-making. Further research is needed to fully elucidate the role of ITGBL1 methylation in AML and to explore its potential as a therapeutic target.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

Everything You Need To Know

1

What is ITGBL1 methylation and why is it important in AML?

ITGBL1 methylation refers to the addition of a methyl group to the ITGBL1 gene, altering its activity. This is significant in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) because the study revealed that higher ITGBL1 methylation levels are associated with poorer outcomes in AML patients. It is a biomarker predicting prognosis and monitoring disease status. This suggests that it could be used to identify high-risk patients and guide treatment strategies.

2

How was ITGBL1 methylation measured in the study, and what methods were used?

The study used real-time methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (RQ-MSP) and bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP) to detect ITGBL1 promoter methylation. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to analyze ITGBL1 transcript levels. By using these methods, the researchers were able to compare ITGBL1 methylation levels between AML patients and healthy controls.

3

What were the key findings of the study regarding ITGBL1 methylation in AML patients?

The study found that AML patients had significantly higher levels of ITGBL1 methylation compared to healthy controls. Additionally, patients with ITGBL1 hypermethylation had shorter overall survival (OS) and leukemia-free survival (LFS). It was also observed a trend toward lower complete remission rates and a higher percentage of bone marrow blasts in the ITGBL1-hypermethylated patients, suggesting a link between ITGBL1 methylation and disease severity.

4

Can ITGBL1 methylation be used to predict treatment response and guide clinical decisions in AML?

Yes, the study suggests that monitoring changes in ITGBL1 methylation levels during therapy could provide valuable insights into treatment response and help guide clinical decision-making. Because ITGBL1 methylation was confirmed as an independent prognostic factor in AML, it can help identify high-risk patients who may benefit from more aggressive treatment strategies.

5

How can ITGBL1 methylation assessment change the future of AML treatment?

Incorporating ITGBL1 methylation assessment into routine clinical practice could help identify high-risk AML patients who may benefit from more aggressive treatment strategies. Furthermore, it provides an opportunity to monitor treatment response by tracking changes in ITGBL1 methylation levels. This could lead to personalized care based on the patient's methylation profile. Further research is needed to explore ITGBL1 methylation as a therapeutic target.

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