en Hematology Hematology Original Article Original Article <span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="line-height:14pt"><b><i><span style="color:blue">Background</span></i></b><i><span style="color:blue">:</span></i> Autophagy is a pathway for the degradation of cytoplasmic components, which plays an essential role in various cellular and physiological processes, including cell renewal and survival, and immune responses. While recent studies have shown that they can play a role in cancer treatment, the precise mechanisms of autophagy in leukemogenesis are not fully understood. We have assessed the expression levels of&nbsp;LC3&nbsp;and&nbsp;BECLIN1&nbsp;as two crucial autophagy mediators in patients with leukemia.</span><br> <span style="line-height:14pt"><b><i><span style="color:blue">Methods:</span></i></b> This cross-sectional study was performed on bone marrow or peripheral blood samples of 61 leukemia patients (24 AML, 20 ALL, and 17 CML) and compared to 18 healthy controls. Real-time PCR was used to quantitate gene expression. SPSS statistics 16.0 and Graph Pad Prism 8.4.2 software were applied for statistical analysis.<span style="font-size:10.0pt"></span></span><br> <span style="line-height:14pt"><b><i><span style="color:blue">Results:</span></i></b> While&nbsp;BECLIN1&nbsp;expression was significantly lower in AML, ALL, and CML patients as compared to the control group (p < 0.05), LC3 showed significantly different expression only in the AML patients (P= 0.03). There was no significant correlation between the expression levels of BECLIN1 with LC3 (p> 0.05). Whilst the AML LC3^high group had a significantly lower lymphocyte count (P= 0.023), the AML&nbsp;BECLIN1^low group had a significantly higher MPV levels (P= 0.044). Furthermore, ALL LC3^high group indicated a significantly lower HCT count (P= 0.017).<span style="font-size:10.0pt"></span></span><br> <span style="line-height:14pt"><b><i><span style="color:blue">Conclusion</span></i></b><i><span style="color:blue">:</span></i> Significant changes in the expression levels of BECLINI and LC3 in hematologic malignancies may indicate a possible role for autophagy in their pathogenesis. However, further studies are warranted to confirm these findings.<span style="font-size:10.0pt"></span></span></span></span><br> &nbsp; Autophagy, Hematological malignancy, LC3, BECLIN1, AML, ALL, CML 694 702 http://caspjim.com/browse.php?a_code=A-10-2544-3&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Hossein Ayatollahi ayatollahih@mums.ac.ir 100319475328460044934 100319475328460044934 No Cancer Molecular Pathology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Samaneh Boroumand-Noughabi samaneh.boroumand@gmail.com 100319475328460044935 100319475328460044935 No Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Gordon Ferns G.Ferns@bsms.ac.uk 100319475328460044936 100319475328460044936 No Department of Medical Education, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK Maryam sheikhi sheikhim75@gmail.com 100319475328460044937 100319475328460044937 No Cancer Molecular Pathology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical sciences, Mashhad, Iran Payam Siyadat payam.siyadat19899@gmail.com 100319475328460044938 100319475328460044938 No Department of Hematology, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mehrdad Rostami m.rostami9675@gmail.comom 100319475328460044939 100319475328460044939 No Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. zahra khoshnegah zkhoshnegah@gmail.com 100319475328460044940 100319475328460044940 Yes Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.