title: An anti-apoptotic pattern correlates with multidrug resistance in acute myeloid leukemia patients: a comparative study of active caspase-3, cleaved PARPs, Bcl-2, Survivin and MDR1 gene.
abstract: Bone marrow samples of 17 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients were analyzed for apoptosis-related markers. The levels of active caspase-3 (aC-3), Bcl-2 and cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (cPARP) were measured by flow cytometry and compared with survivin and MDR1 gene expression as defined by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The results showed heterogeneous patterns of intracellular levels of the studied proteins in AML patients: aC-3 (mean 34.6+/-52.5 U/ml), Bcl-2 (mean 3268.4+/-2055.2 U/ml), and cPARPs (mean 24.59+/-29.97 U/ml). Survivin and MDR1 genes were overexpressed in 9 and 10 patients, respectively. Patients with high levels of survivin mRNA showed significantly lower cPARPs (11.8+/-14.3 versus 53.9+/-31.9 U/ml P=0.005) and a tendency towards higher aC-3 (49.3+/-70.0 versus 18.1+/-9.9 U/ml), and MDR1 overexpression (7/9 patients versus 3/8 patients), as well as poorer therapeutic response and survival. Our data support the potential relevance of apoptosis-related markers in AML for further understanding the disease; however, the heterogeneity and complexity of molecular interactions warrants further prospective studies.
authors.affiliation: Blood Diseases Diagnostic Unit, Laboratory of Haematopathology and Immunology, National Specialised Hospital for Active Treatment of Haematological Diseases, Sofia 1756, Bulgaria. margenova@gmail.com
authors.forename: Margarita L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Guenova
authors.forename: Gueorgui N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Balatzenko
authors.forename: Vessela R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Nikolova
authors.forename: Branimir V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Spassov
authors.forename: Spiro M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Konstantinov
mesh_terms: D018435:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B; D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000077022:Survivin
chemical_list: C513055:ABCB1 protein, human; D018435:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B; D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1; C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D000077022:Survivin; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases; D053148:Caspase 3