title: bcl-2 regulation in normal resting lymphocytes and lymphoblasts.
abstract: Expression of the bcl-2 protein and bcl-2 mRNA at the individual cell level was semiquantitatively examined in normal quiescent peripheral blood lymphocytes and pokeweed mitogen- or concanavalin A and interleukin-2-induced lymphoblasts in vitro by microscopic fluorometry using immunofluorescence and fluorescein-labeled in situ hybridization. Approximately 90% of normal quiescent T and B lymphocytes expressed bcl-2 protein at a level which was compatible with that of bcl-2 mRNA. On the contrary, most mitogen-induced lymphoblasts showed a posttranscriptional suppression of bcl-2 protein expression. However, bcl-2 protein was not downregulated by the posttranscriptional suppression in all lymphocytes activated in vitro, but approximately 15% of the lymphoblasts still expressed bcl-2 protein at a higher level than nontransformed quiescent small lymphocytes; thus bcl-2 protein expression in lymphoblasts showed a distinct bimodal pattern. Furthermore, it was supposed that lymphoblasts with no detectable bcl-2 protein might fall into apoptosis but the remainder, expressing high levels of bcl-2 protein, could escape apoptosis. Thus, the bcl-2 gene may play an important role as a regulator of apoptosis in the human immune system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Okayama University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshino
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Teramoto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akagi
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004247:DNA