<i>EZH2</i> Gene Expression and <i>SOCS1</i> Gene Methylation in Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Unraveling Epigenetic Interactions and Clinical Implications

Background & Objective: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a diverse blood cancer that predominantly affects adults.In addition to genetic mutations, epigenetic processes, including DNA methylation and histone modifications are key factors in leukemogenesis.This study investigated the relationship between the Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 1 (SOCS1) gene methylation and the Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 (EZH2) gene expression in patients with AML. Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study included 85 AML patients admitted to Ghaem Hospital (Mashhad, Iran) between April 2017 and March 2023.Patients were diagnosed based on the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines and the French-American-British (FAB) classification.The EZH2 expression level and SOCS1 methylation patterns were analyzed.The associations between these epigenetic alterations, demographic characteristics, and clinical outcomes were assessed.Results: Our findings indicated a significant inverse relationship between EZH2 expression and SOCS1 gene methylation.Furthermore, EZH2 overexpression and SOCS1 hypomethylation were associated with reduced overall survival. Conclusion:This study suggests that EZH2 and SOCS1 may jointly influence AML progression and patient outcomes through epigenetic changes-their prognostic relevance and therapeutic potential merit further research in larger studies.