Bcl-2 antisense therapy in multiple myeloma.
Multiple myeloma is a plasma cell tumor localised in the bone marrow. During chemotherapy drug resistance develops in almost all patients. We have indications that the anti-apoptopic protein Bcl-2 is a key element in multi drug resistance in myeloma. Reduction of Bcl-2 renders the tumor cell susceptible to drug induced apoptosis. This suggests that therapies directed at lowering Bcl-2 levels in myeloma cells in vivo, like Bcl-2 antisense treatment, might chemosensitize the tumor cells and therefore might be applicable for therapeutic use.
Bloem
A
A
Department of Immunology, University Hospital Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Lockhorst
H
H
D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D002470:Cell Survival; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D019254:Genes, bcl-2; D006801:Humans; D005810:Multigene Family; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000628:therapy*; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense