BCL2-mediated tumorigenicity of a human T-lymphoid cell line: synergy with MYC and inhibition by BCL2 antisense.
A gene-transfer approach was used to explore the function of the BCL2 (B-cell lymphoma/leukemia 2) gene in a human T-cell line, Jurkat. Though stable introduction of a BCL2 expression plasmid into Jurkat T cells was by itself insufficient, the combined transfer of BCL2 and MYC genes markedly enhanced the tumorigenicity of these cells in athymic mice. Moreover, a BCL2 antisense expression plasmid ablated tumor formation by Jurkat cells, providing further evidence that this oncogene contributes to the regulation of the in vivo growth of these human T lymphocytes. In addition to their influence on tumor formation, BCL2 sense and antisense expression plasmids increased and decreased, respectively, the in vitro survival of Jurkat T cells in serum-free medium. These observations extend to T cells the finding of synergy of BCL2 with MYC previously reported for B cells and provide evidence that BCL2 can regulate the growth of human T cells.
Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia 19104-6082.
J C
JC
Reed
M
M
Cuddy
S
S
Haldar
C
C
Croce
P
P
Nowell
D
D
Makover
K
K
Bradley
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000235:genetics*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D010957:Plasmids; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics*; D016372:RNA, Antisense; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D013601:T-Lymphocytes; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000166:cytology*
D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D016372:RNA, Antisense; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012313:RNA; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases