NEAT1 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels were significantly downregulated in leukemia patient samples compared with those from healthy donors. Furthermore, NEAT1 mRNA expression was repressed in a number of leukemia cell lines, including K562, THP-1, HL-60 and Jurkat cells, compared with peripheral white blood control cells, consistent with the expression observed in patients with leukemia. In addition, the transfection of a NEAT1 overexpression plasmid into K562 and THP-1 leukemia cell lines alleviated MDR induced by cytotoxic agents, such as Alisertib and Bortezomib, through inhibition of ATP-binding cassette G2.