Constitutive expression of the granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor gene in acute myeloblastic leukemia.
Expression of the granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) gene was studied by Northern blot analysis in normal human hematopoietic cells and a series of leukemias. GM-CSF messenger (m)RNA was detected in activated T cells, but not in normal bone marrow cells, monocytes, or nonactivated T cells. In contrast, leukemic cells from 11 of 22 cases of acute myeloblastic leukemia expressed GM-CSF transcripts. Biologically active CSF was detected in supernatant conditioned by 6 of these 11 leukemias. Expression of the GM-CSF gene was not detected in "common" (pre-B cell) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (11 cases tested) or chronic myeloid leukemia (4 cases tested). These results show that the GM-CSF gene is constitutively expressed in a subset of patients with AML, and further suggest that expression of this gene could contribute to the abnormal growth properties characteristic of AML.
D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions; D001681:Biological Assay; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics
D007377:Interleukin-3; D012333:RNA, Messenger