Abstract: Objective To investigate the expression of RNA binding protein KSRP in multiple AML patients. Methods KSRP expression among AML patients and normal controls was analyzed in Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. KSRP expression was inhibited by lentivirus-mediated gene transduction in THP-1 cells, and cell proliferation and apoptosis was analyzed. Results KSRP has lower expression in t(15;17) acute promyelocytic leukemia while has higher expression in MLL translocated acute monocytic leukemia or acute myelomonocytic leukemia. KSRP knock-down significantly promoted apoptosis (p<0.01), as well as suppressed cell proliferation (p<0.01). In addition, overexpression of miR-129 increased cell proliferation (p<0.05). Conclusions KSRP may regulate AML-M5 cell growth through promoting miR-129 processing.

Key words: KSRP, RNA binding protein, miR-129, cell proliferation, acute myeloid leukemia