Strong correlation between VEGF and MCL-1 mRNA expression levels in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Expression of the anti-apoptotic myeloid cell leukemia-1 (MCL-1) gene is a novel prognostic factor in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). Vascular and endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are able to upregulate MCL-1 via autocrine signaling loops. In 88 B-CLL patients, we found a strong correlation of MCL-1 gene expression with VEGF (P<10(-7)) but not with IL-6 mRNA levels. VEGF but not IL-6 expression influenced patient prognosis. VEGF may be a positive autocrine in vivo regulator of MCL-1 in B-CLL. Inhibition of VEGF and its signaling may prove to be useful in the treatment of B-CLL patients.
Véronèse
Lauren
L
Univ Clermont 1, Fac Médecine, Histologie Embryologie Cytogénétique, Clermont-Ferrand F-63001, France.
Tournilhac
Olivier
O
Verrelle
Pierre
P
Davi
Frédéric
F
Dighiero
Guillaume
G
Chautard
Emmanuel
E
Veyrat-Masson
Richard
R
Kwiatkowski
Fabrice
F
Goumy
Carole
C
Gouas
Laetitia
L
Bay
Jacques-Olivier
JO
Vago
Philippe
P
Tchirkov
Andrei
A
D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000502:physiology; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D064549:Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics*
D015850:Interleukin-6; D064549:Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A