Increased ratio of bcl-2/bax expression is associated with bovine leukemia virus-induced leukemogenesis in cattle.
To further investigate the molecular basis underlying the dysregulation of B cell homeostasis associated with bovine leukemia virus disease progression in cattle, bovine bax was cDNA cloned and sequenced. The predicted amino acid sequence of bovine Bax revealed a 192-amino-acid protein having extensive identity with the human (97%), murine (93%), and rat (94%) homologues. Because the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax is believed to predetermine the susceptibility to a given apoptotic stimulus, the relative expression of the genes encoding these oncoproteins was evaluated in cattle naturally infected with BLV. In BLV-infected cattle an increase in the ratios of bcl-2/bax mRNA and protein expression correlated with advancing stages of disease. These findings suggest that in addition to the maintenance of BLV-associated hematopoietic malignancies, the reciprocal expression of Bcl-2/Bax may modulate the induction of B cell expansion typical of BLV disease progression.
Reyes
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RA
Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80523-1671, USA.
Cockerell
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GL
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002417:Cattle; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers; D016583:Enzootic Bovine Leukosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D001909:Leukemia Virus, Bovine / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
C494826:BAX protein, human; C494828:Bax protein, rat; D017931:DNA Primers; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein