mRNA expression levels of AML-1A and AML-1B in patients with MM versus healthy controls.

mRNA expression levels of MIP-1α, AML-1A, and AML-1B were examined by RT-PCR analysis in total bone marrow cells and purified CD138⁺ myeloma cells from patients with MM, compared with samples from healthy donors. mRNA expression levels of MIP-1α were increased in 7 of 10 total bone marrow cells and 3 of 5 CD138⁺ myeloma cells from patients with MM. mRNA expression levels of AML-1B were decreased in 5 of 7 total bone marrow cells and 2 of 3 myeloma cells from patients with MM who showed increased MIP-1α expression. AML-1A mRNA expression was detected in 8 of 10 and 4 of 5 myeloma cells from patients with MM, and 9 of 9 normal samples (A). The ratio of mRNA expression of AML-1A to AML-1B was 8-fold higher in patients with MM than in healthy controls and was increased more than 10-fold in patients with increased MIP-1α expression, such as in patients 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9 (P = .022) (B). Horizontal bars indicate the average; vertical bars, SE.