Expression of apoptosis regulators Bcl-2 and Bax in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Twenty-five children (19 M:6 F) with newly diagnosed ALL with median age of 5.5 years (1 month-12 years) were enrolled in the study. Apoptosis regulator proteins bcl-2 and bax were measured in all patients using alkaline phosphatase anti-alkaline phosphatase method. Twenty-one patients were positive for bcl-2 and 23 cases for Bax, although expression levels varied. Patients who presented with splenomegaly or hepatomegaly < 5 cm expressed significantly higher levels of bcl-2 and bax protein expression. Neither of age ( < or >10 years), sex, generalized lymphadenopathy, WBC ( < or >50,000/mul) or FAB subtype was associated with high levels of bcl-2 or bax protein expression. Patients with higher mean hemoglobin levels (p = 0.009), high blast % in bone marrow (p = 0.02), immature immunophenotype (p = 0.001) exhibited signifxicantly higher bcl-2 levels. Bcl-2/bax ratio correlated inversely with TLC at presentation (p = 0.022; r = - 0.456) and in B-lineage leukemic cells as compared to T-lineage cells (p = 0.002). Bcl-2/bax ratio did not correlate with any other variable measured. Bcl-2 and bax protein co-express in ALL and high bcl-2/bax ratio correlates with good prognosis features.
Narayan
Shashi
S
Department of Pathology, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Kalawati Saran Children's Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Chandra
Jagdish
J
Sharma
Meenal
M
Naithani
Rahul
R
Sharma
Sunita
S
D000367:Age Factors; D017209:Apoptosis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006529:Hepatomegaly / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis; D013163:Splenomegaly / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000032:analysis*
C494826:BAX protein, human; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006454:Hemoglobins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein