title: Expression of the c-kit proto-oncogene in myeloproliferative disorders and myelodysplastic syndromes.
abstract: The c-kit proto-oncogene is the receptor gene for the stem cell growth factor. Little is known about the distribution and role of this gene product in malignant hematopoiesis. We analysed here the expression of c-kit in myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs), including chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), essential thrombocythemia (ET), polycythemia vera (PV), and idiopathic myelofibrosis (IMF) and in the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). The c-kit expression of peripheral blood mononuclear cells was measured both at the messenger RNA level using Northern analysis, the RNA dot blot technique with densitometric quantification, the sensitive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and at the protein level using immunofluorescence with monoclonal antibodies. There was a statistically significant increase in c-kit messenger levels in CML, ET, PV, IMF, and MDS as compared with controls (healthy volunteers). The percentage of c-kit protein expressing cells was also higher than in the controls in these disorders. There was a significant correlation of the c-kit protein expression with the CD34 antigen of the cells. Expression correlated with the phase of the disease, being highest in the blast crisis of CML and in the RAEB/RAEBt phases of MDS. The data suggest that increased amounts of circulating stem/progenitor cells with c-kit receptor are found in MPDs and MDS. It is possible that elevated c-kit expression could maintain the affected clone in MPDs and MDS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Siitonen
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Savolainen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koistinen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D018952:Antigens, CD34; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000097:blood; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D009196:Myeloproliferative Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D011087:Polycythemia Vera / Q000097:blood; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D016184:Receptors, Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D018952:Antigens, CD34; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016184:Receptors, Colony-Stimulating Factor; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases