Unveiling the Molecular Landscape of MPO in Kikuchi's Disease: Protein Expression, mRNA Levels, and Genetic Polymorphisms.

PURPOSE: This study examines the protein expression and mRNA levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO) in patients with Kikuchi's disease, and explores the association between the MPO-463G/A polymorphism and Kikuchi's disease.

METHODS

Paraffin blocks from 43 patients with Kikuchi's disease were collected, and paraffin blocks from patients with reactive hyperplastic lymph nodes, granulomatous inflammation, and myeloid sarcoma were used as controls. Immunohistochemistry (IHC), quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and Sanger sequencing were used to detect the relevant variants.

RESULTS

The positive rate of MPO protein expression in the Kikuchi's disease group was 100% by IHC. In comparison to the control group, patients with Kikuchi's disease exhibited elevated MPO mRNA expression levels, which demonstrated a positive correlation with protein expression levels. Kikuchi's disease and reactive hyperplastic lymph nodes displayed distinct genotypes at the MPO-463 locus, with mutation phenotypes of 7% and 30%, respectively. The G allele at this locus emerged as a risk factor.

CONCLUSIONS

In Kikuchi's disease, both the protein and mRNA expression levels of MPO are elevated, and the high expression of mRNA is positively correlated with the protein expression levels. The polymorphism at the MPO-463 locus may be associated with the occurrence of Kikuchi's disease.