T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and the associated basic helix-loop-helix gene SCL/tal.
T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a relatively uncommon disease, constituting only approximately 15% of newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemias (ALL) in the United States, or roughly 300 cases per year. Outside of the United States, in countries such as Egypt and India, T-ALL may represent as much as 50% of all ALL's but still remains an overall rare disease. The clinical importance of T-ALL lies in its poor responsiveness to therapy that has proved highly effective with standard B-cell precursor ALL (BCP-ALL). The scientific importance of human T-ALL has resided in its role as a cancer prototype, permitting the identification of novel genes centrally involved in both neoplastic change and normal cellular differentiation. One of these genes, SCL/tal, has received significant attention due to its intimate involvement in T-ALL, as well as in normal hematopoiesis. Although a tremendous amount has been recently discovered about SCL/tal, its exact roles in leukemogenesis and normal hematopoiesis remain obscure.
Goldfarb
A N
AN
Case Western Reserve University, Institute of Pathology, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-4943.
Greenberg
J M
JM
D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D002878:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 1; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D015870:Gene Expression; D018257:Helix-Loop-Helix Motifs / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D015459:Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005810:Multigene Family; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D000073942:T-Cell Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia Protein 1; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014178:Translocation, Genetic; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D000073942:T-Cell Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia Protein 1; D014157:Transcription Factors; C067143:TAL1 protein, human