Estimation of plasma growth differentiation factor 15 level in de novo acute myeloid leukemia patients

BACKGROUND: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a diversified disorder, characterized by clonal proliferation of myeloid precursors in peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM). Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is a member of transforming growth factor-beta superfamily that has an important role in cancer prognosis and pathophysiology and it can induce apoptosis and inhibit growth and invasion of tumor. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to estimate the GDF15 plasma levels in patients with de novo AML and their association with patients' survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-section samples from 60 adult patients who were newly diagnosed with de novo AML from September 2022 to September 2023 were included. Other 30 healthy adult individuals were involved as controls. The measurement of plasma GDF15 level was established by the ELISA technique using the human GDF15 ELISA kit. RESULTS: Plasma (GDF15) was higher in AML patients, and it was associated with inferior overall survival (OS). Plasma (GDF15) level shows positive correlation with age, hemoglobin level, and insignificant correlation with the BM and PB blast percentages, total white blood cell count, sex, and platelets. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma GDF15 levels in AML patients were high at the diagnosis and were associated with inferior OS.