en قلب Heart پژوهشي Research <div><strong>Background: </strong>Dysregulation of LncRNA antisense non-coding RNA in the INK4 locus (ANRIL) expression is implicated in pathogenesis and disease progression of a variety of cancer types. However, the expression level of ANRIL in pediatric patients with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL) has not been elucidated, yet. The present study is an attempt to evaluate the expression level of ANRIL at different clinical stages in pediatric patients with BCP-ALL.<br> <strong>Materials and Methods: </strong>This case-control study was conducted in Tehran, Iran on peripheral blood samples obtained at diagnosis, complete remission, and relapse phases from a total of 50 pediatric BCP-ALL patients who were admitted to Mahak Hospital and Rehabilitation Complex, and Rasul Akram Hospital. The ANRIL expression analysis was performed by the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) method. To test the statistical significance, a nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test was used.<br> <strong>Results: </strong>The mean fold-changes of ANRIL gene expression in newly diagnosed patients were [31.51 (18.28 to 44.75)] compared to the control group [1.06 (0.73 to 1.38)] indicating significant overexpression (P<0.001). ANRIL fold-changes significantly declined following achievement of complete remission [1.24 (0.80 to 1.69)] compared to the newly diagnosed patients (p<0.001) and increased as the patients experienced relapse [285.4 (269.70 to 301) (P<0.001)].<br> <strong>Conclusions: </strong>LncRNA ANRIL may contribute to BCP-ALL pathogenesis and disease progression; casting new light on the application of ANRIL as a potential biomarker or therapeutic target in BCP-ALL.</div> ANRIL long non-coding RNA, Gene expression, Precursor B-cell lymphoblastic leukemia 148 157 http://ijpho.ssu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-806-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Mehran Bahraini 0000-0001-9735-4830 No Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mohammad Faranoush No Pediatric Growth and Development Research Center, Institute of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Pediatric Growth and Development Research Center, Institute of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Sepideh Naseri Mobaraki No Department of Hematology, School of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, Iran Department of Hematology, School of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, Iran Mostafa Paridar No Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Deputy of Management and Resources Development, Tehran, Iran Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Deputy of Management and Resources Development, Tehran, Iran Ali Amini No Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Rima Manafi Shabesta No Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Majid Safa safa.m@iums.ac.ir 0000-0003-0070-6620 Yes Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran