Objective   To detect the expression of Wnt5a gene in the bone marrow of benign hematologic diseases

acute myeloblastic leukemia

and in complete remission (CR)

and investigate the role of Wnt5a in the pathogenesis of myeloblastic leukemia.    Methods   The expression of Wnt5a gene was detected with semiquantitative RT-PCR in 18 cases of benign hematologic disease

30 cases of acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) and 25 cases of acute myeloblastic leukemia who were in CR. The expression of Wnt5a protein was analyzed by immunocytochemical staining in some benign

AML and CR samples.    Results   The positive rate and expression level of Wnt5a mRNA

respectively

were 30% and (0.104 1±0.059 0) for AML patients

which are lower than 68.0% and (0.260 6±0.146 6) for CR patients (P0.05)

and also 88.9% and (0.382 6±0.190 8) in benign diseases. Wnt5a protein was decreased or missed in AML patients

but it was positively expressed in CR cases and benign cases.    Conclusion   The expression of Wnt5a gene is decreased in AML patients but restored in AML-CR cases

and there is no statistical difference between benign and CR. Our results indicate that AML may be correlated with down-regulation or loss of Wnt5a expression. Wnt5a gene might be used as a marker for diagnosis and target of therapy in myeloblastic leukemia.