Expression of SCL gene in bone marrow stromal cells from normal individuals and patients with aplastic anemia

AIM: To investigate the expression of SCL (stem cell leukemia) gene in bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) and bone marrow hematopoietic cells from patients with aplastic anemia （AA） and normal individuals. METHODS: Bone marrow stromal cells from AA (9 cases) and normal individuals (33 cases) were amplified by long-term in vitro culture. The adherent and nonadherent cells were collected respectively. RT-PCR-ELISA assay was then performed to detect the expression of SCL gene and the housekeeping gene β2 microglobulin (β2M). The expression ratio of SCL gene were analyzed and its expression level was normalized by β2M gene acting as an internal calibration for the purpose of semi-quantitative analysis. RESULTS: The expression ratio of SCL gene was lower in BMSCs from AA (22.2%) than that in normal controls (69.7%, P<0.05) and in the nonadherent cells from AA than that in their corresponding BMSCs (P<0.05). Semi-quantitative analysis by PCR-ELISA showed that SCL gene expression level in nonadherent cells from normal control was significantly higher than that in their corresponding BMSCs (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The state of low expression of SCL gene in BMSCs from AA suggests that it may be involved in the abnormal regulation of hematopoiesis in AA.