title: High expression of ets-1 gene in human thymocytes and immature T leukemic cells.
abstract: The cellular ets-1 gene homologous to the 5' region of the v-ets sequence of the E26 retrovirus codes for a 6.8-kb mRNA that is translated into a 51-kDa protein in human cells. A survey of mRNA from human tissues showed the thymus as the tissue with the highest level of ets-1 transcription, within other hematopoietic organs and tissues, including spleen, fetal liver, lymph nodes, bone marrow, and peripheral lymphocytes exhibiting low or undetectable levels of hybridization. A high level of ets-1 expression was found in murine thymocyte mRNA as well. Investigation of the ets-1 expression levels in human leukemic samples showed that primary malignant T cells (T-ALLs), corresponding to intrathymic stages of maturation, have a much higher level of ets-1 mRNA than malignant T lymphoid cells with a mature phenotype, such as adult T cell leukemias (ATLs). T-ALLs were also higher in ets-1 expression than the other lymphoid (pre-T-ALL, c-ALL, pre-B-ALL) malignant cells analyzed. Insignificant amounts of the specific ets-1 mRNA were detected in several acute myeloid leukemias representing various degrees of maturation. The elevated ets-1 mRNA in thymocytes suggests a biological role for the ets-1 product in these cells that could be explored to investigate ets-1 function. Finally, the exhibited expression of ets-1 in lymphoid cells and absence from malignant myeloid cells makes it a candidate marker for phenotyping human hematopoietic tumors.
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D006800:Deltaretrovirus Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005333:Fetus; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010641:Phenotype; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012313:RNA