title: Overexpression of bcl-2 in transient abnormal myelopoiesis associated with Down syndrome.
abstract: Transient abnormal myelopoiesis (TAM) is a haematological complication found in Down syndrome. To determine the mechanisms of sustained proliferation of TAM cells, we studied the expression of apoptosis-related proteins, such as bcl-2, Fas (APO-1/CD95) and p-53, in peripheral blood cells from a new-born infant with Down syndrome and TAM. Using flow cytometry, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), consisting mostly of blast cells, showed marked expression of bcl-2 protein but not of Fas or p-53 products. DNA gel electrophoresis of PBMCs, cultured in the absence of serum factors, revealed no marked fragmentation. Our findings suggest that bcl-2 overexpression may be associated with prolonged cell survival of TAM cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Kinki University School of Medicine, Osaka-sayama, Japan. kzyoshio@med.kindai.ac.jp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moriguchi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miyata
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsukiyama
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Isokawa
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Horiuchi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takemura
mesh_terms: D004314:Down Syndrome; D019254:Genes, bcl-2; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019891:Leukopoiesis; D008297:Male