title: The BCL-2 protein in precursor B acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children.
abstract: The BCL-2 protein plays an important role in controlling apoptosis. Disorders of this process can lead to the emergence and development of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and can determine the resistance of leukemic cells to chemotherapy. The levels of BCL-2 mRNA were determined in 20 children with pre-B ALL using RT-polymerase chain reaction and the percentage of BCL-2+ cells in 51 patients using flow cytofluorometry. Similar levels of BCL-2 mRNA (P=0.18) with a higher percentage of cells BCL-2+ (P=0.04) were shown in the bone marrow of patients with pre-B ALL compared to normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells. We could not find any connection between the level of BCL-2 mRNA or the percentage of BCL-2+ cells and selected clinical features. A high percentage of BCL-2+ cells and high levels of BCL-2 mRNA did not affect the 5-year overall survival probability nor the 5-year relapse-free survival probability. These results may indicate a high activity of mechanisms promoting the development of the final form of the BCL-2 protein from mRNA in leukemic cells. A high BCL-2 level does not affect the clinical course or worsen the prognosis in children with ALL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation, Oncology and Hematology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland. rchaber@wp.pl
authors.forename: Radoslaw
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chaber
authors.forename: Lucja
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fiszer-Maliszewska
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Noworolska-Sauren
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kwasnicka
authors.forename: Grazyna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wrobel
authors.forename: Alicja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chybicka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D015452:Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger