The Simultaneous Elevation of Oxidative Stress Markers and Wilms' Tumor 1 Gene during the Progression of Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Oxidative stress is closely related to iron overload in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and induces DNA damage. We evaluated the oxidative stress markers derivatives of reactive oxidative metabolites (dROM) and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) during azacitidine treatment in an MDS patient. Simultaneous with an increase in the expression of Wilms' Tumor 1 (WT1) gene in the peripheral blood, the serum dROM level was elevated, and this increase was observed earlier than the increases in ferritin and 8-OHdG. Throughout the clinical course, dROM and 8-OHdG correlated significantly with WT1 and with ferritin, suggesting that changes in the oxidative stress marker levels reflect not only iron overload but also disease progression of MDS.