title: Apoptotic index, Fas and bcl-2 in initial and relapsed childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
abstract: Seventy-two samples with initial and 23 samples with relapsed childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) were investigated for apoptotic index (AI) and for Fas expression. AI was determined by DNA-fragmentation using deoxynucleotidyl terminal transferase and Fas expression by immunocytochemistry. bcl-2 mRNA expression was measured in 50 initial and 20 relapsed ALL. The patients were discriminated in groups with low and high AI, Fas-protein expression and bcl-2mRNA expression by the mean value. AI was higher in relapsed than in initial ALL. The mean survival was significantly higher in patients with low AI (p= 0.034). This was also true for the relapse-free interval, however, this result was borderline significant (p= 0.064). AI was directly correlated with expression of Fas and inversely correlated with bcl-2 mRNA expression. These results suggest that Fas and - with limitations - bcl-2 may influence the apoptotic process in childhood ALL and that enhanced apoptotic activity predicts poor prognosis.
authors.affiliation: German Cancer Research Centre, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stammler
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sauerbrey
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zintl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Volm