MicroRNA fingerprints during human megakaryocytopoiesis

1. A method to identify a subject who has, or is at risk of developing a cancer and/or myeloproliferative disorder, comprising:

i) obtaining a sample from a subject;

ii) conducting a laboratory analysis of the sample so as to obtain physical data whether the sample contains an altered level of miR-130a; and

iii) identifying the subject as one who has a cancer and/or a myeloproliferative disorder if the physical data indicate that the sample comprises an altered level of miR-130a; wherein the cancer and/or myeloproliferative disorder is selected from the group consisting of: acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL), and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample comprises megakaryocyte progeny and/or megakaryocytes.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alteration is a decrease in the level of miR-130a in the sample.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the level of at least one additional miR is analyzed, wherein the miR is selected from the group consisting of: miR-10a, miR-10b, miR-30c, miR-106, miR-126, miR-132 and miR-143.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the levels of at least eight miRs are analyzed, and wherein the miRs comprise: miR-10a, miR-10b, miR-30c, miR-106, miR-126, miR-130a, miR-132 and miR-143.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is a human.

7. The method of claim 1 , which further comprises communicating the data or risk to at least one human.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of correlating the data with similar data from a reference population to predict the subject's risk for having or developing megakaryocytic differentiation.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of correlating the data with similar data from a reference population to predict whether the subject has a more or less megakaryocytic differentiation.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of correlating the data with similar data from a reference population to predict the subject's response to treatment.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cancer is a leukemia.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cancer is acute myeloid leukemia.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the acute myeloid leukemia is acute megakaryoblastic leukemia.

14. A method to identify a subject who has, or is at risk of developing a cancer and/or myeloproliferative disorder, comprising:

obtaining a sample from a subject;

conducting a laboratory analysis of the sample so as to obtain physical data whether the sample contains altered levels of biomarkers, wherein the biomarkers comprise miR-130a and at least four additional biomarkers selected from the group consisting of: miR-10a, miR-126, miR-106, miR-10b, miR-124a, miR-032-prec, miR-101, miR-30c, miR-213, miR-132-prec, miR-150, miR-20, miR-339, let-7a, let-7d, miR-181c, miR-181b, and miR-17; and

identifying the subject as one who has a cancer and/or a myeloproliferative disorder if the physical data indicate that the sample comprises a signature of altered levels of biomarkers, wherein the signature comprises miR-130a and at least four biomarkers selected from: miR-10a, miR-126, miR-106, miR-10b, miR-124a, miR-032-prec, miR-101, miR-30c, miR-213, miR-132-prec, miR-150, miR-20, miR-339, let-7a, let-7d, miR-181c, miR-181b, and miR-17; wherein the cancer and/or myeloproliferative disorder is selected from the group consisting of: acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL), and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).

15. A method to identify a subject who has, or is at risk of developing a cancer and/or myeloproliferative disorder, comprising:

obtaining a sample from a subject;

conducting a laboratory analysis of the sample so as to obtain physical data whether the sample contains altered levels of biomarkers, wherein the biomarkers are miR-130a and at least four biomarkers selected from the group consisting of: miR-10a, miR-101, miR-126, miR-99a, miR-33, miR-95, miR-10b, miR-155, let-7d, miR-99b-prec, miR-135-2-prec, miR-339, miR-99b, miR-106, let-7c, miR-148, miR-132-prec, and miR-20; and

identifying the subject as one who has a cancer and/or a myeloproliferative disorder if the physical data indicate that the sample comprises a signature of altered levels of biomarkers, wherein the signature comprises miR-130a and at least four biomarkers selected from: miR-10a, miR-101, miR-126, miR-99a, miR-33, miR-95, miR-10b, miR-155, let-7d, miR-99b-prec, miR-135-2-prec, miR-339, miR-99b, miR-106, let-7c, miR-148, miR-132-prec, and miR-20; wherein the cancer and/or myeloproliferative disorder is selected from the group consisting of: acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL), and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the level of at least one additional miR is analyzed, and wherein the miR is selected from the group consisting of: miR-130a-prec, miR-30c, miR-143-prec, miR-95, miR-124a, and miR-25.