Bcl-2 gene and its family genes Bax, Bcl-Xl as well as Fas/Apo-1 and their clinical significance in acute leukemia.
OBJECTIVE
To study the suppressing genes of apoptosis, namely Bcl-2, its family genes Bax, Bcl-Xl, and the inducing gene of apoptosis Fas/Apo-1.


METHODS
The techniques of cytoimmuno-histiochemical stains, Western blotting and Northern blotting were used.


RESULTS
It was found that the antigens of Bcl-2 in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and acute lymphocytic (ALL) was higher than that in the normal (P < 0.01). At same time, Bcl-2 was obviously lower expression in complete remission (CR) group than that in non-remission (NR) one by retrospective analysis (P < 0.01). Though Bcl-2 was low expression in CR with Western blotting, there was no statistical significance (P > 0.05). In CR group the expression of Bcl-2 mRNA was obviously lower than that of NR one (P < 0.01). Even though leukemia expression of Bax with cytoimmuno-histiochemical stain was also lower than that in the normal people, there was no difference between CR and NR with cytoimmuno-histiochemical, Western blotting and Northern blotting (P > 0.05). There was difference of Bcl-Xl mRNA in two groups (P < 0.01). The expression Fas/Apo-1 in leukemia was lower than that in normal people (P < 0.01). But in CR and NR, there was no difference with cytoimmuno-histiochemical stain and Western blotting.


CONCLUSIONS
The Changes of genes and their proteins are significant theoretically and clinically. The antigen expression of Bcl-2 and the expression of Bcl-2 mRNA may be considered as a prognostic index for AML.
Institute of Hematology, Xiehe Hospital, Tongji Medical University, Wuhan 430022, China.
Y
Y
Chen
J
J
Zhou
B
B
Yue
Z
Z
Xiang
X
X
Song
C
C
Li
B
B
Wang
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D017209:Apoptosis; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D019254:Genes, bcl-2; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000235:genetics*; D050722:Oncogene Protein v-cbl; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012074:Remission Induction; D015682:Retroviridae Proteins, Oncogenic / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C494826:BAX protein, human; C494811:BCL2L1 protein, human; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C490780:FAF1 protein, human; D050722:Oncogene Protein v-cbl; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015682:Retroviridae Proteins, Oncogenic; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein