Possible significance of Ph, zinc and BCR-ABL chimaerism in the pathogenesis of chronic myeloid leukaemia.
Available evidence suggests a double-pathway two-staged genetic alteration in the pathogenesis of Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML). The regular Ph' defect results in BCR-ABL gene chimaerism on the one hand and suppressed synthesis of the protein responsible for Zn absorption on the other. The resulting Zn deficiency leads, through its metalloenzymes, to a low NAP activity and depressed DNA & RNA polymerase activities: the latter necessitates an adaptive mechanism to sustain cell division despite low zinc. This adaptation is in the form of another gene alteration; a point mutation in the BCR-ABL chimaeric gene, now an oncogene, whose onco-proteins are zinc-independent and stimulate cell division more efficiently (though abnormally also) than the polymerases while defying the usual mechanisms regulating DNA synthesis and cell division. Thus it seems possible that assisted transcellular zinc transport could prevent development of CML in Ph'-positive individuals and the enhanced (abnormal) cellular proliferation might be specifically inhibited.
Jibrin
I M
IM
Nitel Health Centre, Nitel Training School, Cappa, Oshodi, Lagos, Nigeria.
D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000502:physiology*; D005796:Genes; D006801:Humans; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009857:Oncogenes; D010677:Philadelphia Chromosome; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D014178:Translocation, Genetic; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*
D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl; D015032:Zinc