title: Multiparameter flow-cytometric analysis of bcl-2 and Fas expression in normal and neoplastic hematopoiesis.
abstract: Apoptosis (programmed cell death) is an important regulatory mechanism in hematopoiesis, and is thought to be a principal mechanism of action of cytotoxic chemotherapy. Proteins that modulate apoptosis include bcl-2, which inhibits apoptosis, and Fas (CD95, also known as APO-1), which induces apoptosis in susceptible cells bound by Fas ligand (FasL). To characterize precisely the expression of these apoptosis-regulatory proteins in normal and neoplastic hematopoiesis, the authors have performed multiparameter flow cytometric (FCM) analysis in a series of normal and abnormal marrow specimens. Among normal hematopoietic elements, bcl-2 expression was highest in myeloblasts (29 [+/- 9] x 10(3) molecules of equivalent soluble fluorochrome [MESF]), and lymphocytes (28[+/- 7] x 10(3) MESF). bcl-2 was essentially undetectable in granulocytes and nucleated red blood cells, whereas monocytes and B-cell precursors expressed intermediate levels of bcl-2 (11[+/- 4] x 10(3) and 7[+/- 1] x 10(3) MESF, respectively). Fas expression increased with granulocytic and monocytic differentiation; myeloblasts expressed 8(+/- 2) x 10(3) MESF, whereas granulocytes (15 [+/- 2] x 10(3) MESF) and monocytes (28[+/- 5] x 10(3) MESF) displayed relatively greater intensity of staining for Fas. Among lymphoid cells, Fas expression was heterogeneous. B cells expressed lower intensity Fas staining than both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Myeloblasts in 30 cases of myeloid leukemia and myelodysplasia studied for bcl-2 and/or Fas expression manifested variable levels of these molecules (range 9-105 x 10(3) MESF for bcl-2 and 3-33 x 10(3) MESF for Fas). In addition, intraclonal heterogeneity of bcl-2 and Fas expression was seen in certain cases of AML, which correlated with extent of differentiation. Among 28 cases of B-precursor ALL studied for bcl-2 and/or Fas expression, bcl-2 ranged from 22 to 60 x 10(3) MESF (P < .001 versus normal marrow B-cell precursors), and Fas varied between essentially undetectable levels and 6 x 10(3) MESF. In summary, normal marrow subsets display characteristic levels of the apoptosis-regulatory molecules, bcl-2 and Fas. In hematopoietic neoplasms, expression of bcl-2 and Fas varies among cases, and in some instances, within leukemic blast populations. Further study is required to understand the potential significance of this heterogeneous expression of bcl-2 and Fas in hematologic neoplasia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: DiGiuseppe
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: LeBeau
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Augenbraun
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Borowitz
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000378:metabolism*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000378:metabolism*; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000378:metabolism*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000378:metabolism; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D019014:fas Receptor