Expression of dominant-negative and mutant isoforms of the antileukemic transcription factor Ikaros in infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

ABSTRACT: Ikaros, a zinc finger-containing DNA-binding protein, is required for normal lymphocyte development, and germline mutant mice that express only non-DNA binding dominant-negative "leukemogenic" Ikaros isoforms lacking critical N-terminal zinc fingers develop an aggressive form of lymphoblastic leukemia 3-6 months after birth. Therefore, we sought to determine whether molecular abnormalities involving the Ikaros gene could contribute to the development of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in infants. Primary leukemic cells were freshly obtained from 12 infants (<1 year of age) with newly diagnosed ALL. In leukemic cells from each of the 12 infants with ALL, we found high level expression of dominant-negative isoforms of Ikaros with abnormal subcellular compartmentalization patterns. PCR clo

SUBMITTER: Sun L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC15196 | biostudies-literature | 1999 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature