Unveiling the Significance of MRP 1 in Achieving Complete Remission Following Induction Therapy in Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

BACKGROUND: Increased expression of MRP 1 in AML patients results in the efflux of drugs from the cells, preventing the patient from achieving remission or potentially leading to relapse. Several studies have demonstrated that early identification of ABC transporter may yield favorable outcomes. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the study were to investigate the correlation between MRP 1 gene expression and MRP 1 protein levels and the response to remission induction in AML patients. METHOD: A total of 40 AML patients were recruited from March 2021 to June 2022. Peripheral blood was collected in two tubes (yellow and purple top) to assess the MRP 1 gene and protein. For MRP 1 gene assessment, RNA was isolated from blood samples, cDNA was prepared, and qRT-PCR was performed to analyze gene expression. The relationship between the gene and complete remission was determined. Identification of MRP 1 protein was conducted using ELISA, and the relationship between protein levels and complete remission (CR) was explored. RESULTS: Most of the patients were aged between 25 and 39 years, encompassing both males and females. This study observed a clinical correlation between MRP 1 gene expression and complete remission. The findings revealed that 69.2 percent of patients with high gene expression failed to achieve complete remission, whereas the analysis of MRP 1 protein in relation to complete remission showed no statistical significance. The MRP1 gene showed high expression (66.7%) in patients with FLT3 mutation, whereas low expression of MRP1 was associated with a high occurrence (60%) of NMP1 mutation. CONCLUSION: Further comprehensive multicenter studies with larger sample sizes are required to validate the findings of this study. It is recommended to pinpoint the mechanism and regulation of MRP 1 and its interaction with other molecular pathways.

Assessment of clinical spectrum of thrombocytopenia and its association with different disease states reported in Dow Diagnostic Reference and Research Lab (DDRRL).

Objectives: To evaluate the relevance of thrombocytopenia to other disease states in patients reporting at a haematology laboratory. METHODS: The cross-sectional, retrospective study was conducted at the Dow Diagnostic Research and Reference Laboratory of the Dr Ishrat ul Ebad Khan Institute of Blood Diseases, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, and comprised data from the blood bank and haematology laboratory related to patients who visited during October 2021to August 2022. Data was analysed using SPSS 26. RESULTS: Of the 1,249 patients with mean age 38.5±19.7 years (range: 0-89 years), 79(6.3%) were aged <12 years, 592(47.4%) were aged 12-40 years and 578(46.3%) were aged >40. Most of the patients were males 793 (63.5%), and 604(48.4%) had Grade 1 thrombocytopenia. Among the females, Grade 1 thrombocytopenia was found in 246(53.9%) and Grade 2 in 140(30.7%) patients compared to 358(45.1%) and 222(28%) in males, respectively (p<0.05). Association between thrombocytopenia and diagnoses was not significant (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Thrombocytopenia was found to be strongly associated with gender.

Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, syphilis, and malaria among blood donors at tertiary care hospital blood bank.

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the frequency of markers of transfusion-transmitted infections among blood donors in a tertiary care setting. METHODS: The retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study, was conducted in the Blood Bank section of the Department of Pathology at the Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, and comprised data of blood donors from January 2013, to October 2018. All blood donors had been screened for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, human immunodeficiency virus I and II, syphilis through electrochemiluminescence and malaria using immunochromatography. Data was analyzed using SPSS 21. RESULTS: Of the 29,732 donors, 29,712(99.93%) were males and 20(0.06%) were females; 12(0.04%) were volunteers and 29,720(99.95%) were exchange donors. Overall, 2587(8.7%) donors were positive for an infectious disease; 908(3%) hepatitis C virus, 887(2.9%) hepatitis B, 620(2%) syphilis, 168(0.5%) human immunodeficiency virus and 4(0.02%) malaria. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatitis C and B were the most frequent infections, followed by syphilis in the sample.