Hsa-mir-125b-2 is Highly Expressed in Childhood ETV6/RUNX1 (TEL/AML1) Leukemias and Confers Survival Advantage to Growth Inhibitory Signals Independent of P53

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate the expression of multiple proteins in a dose-dependent manner. We hypothesized that increased expression of miRNAs encoded on chromosome 21 (chr 21) contribute to the leukemogenic role of trisomy 21. The levels of chr 21 miRNAs were quantified by qRT-PCR in four types of childhood ALL characterized by either numerical (trisomy or tetrasomy) or structural abnormalities of chr 21. Surprisingly high expression of the hsa-mir-125b-2 cluster, consisting of three miRNAs, was identified in leukemias with the structural ETV6/RUNX1 abnormality and not in ALLs with trisomy 21. Manipulation of…