Surface expression of Bcl-2 in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and other B-cell leukemias and lymphomas without a breakpoint t(14;18).

ABSTRACT: Since its discovery in follicular lymphoma cells at the breakpoint t(14;18), Bcl-2 has been studied extensively in many basic and clinical science settings. Bcl-2 can locate as an integral mitochondrial membrane component, where its primary role is to block apoptosis by maintaining membrane integrity. Here we show that Bcl-2 also can position on the outer cell surface membrane of B cells from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) and certain other leukemias that do not classically possess the chromosomal breakpoint t(14;18). Although low levels of Bcl-2 can be detected on the surface membrane of apparently healthy leukemic and normal B cells, expression of Bcl-2 correlates best with spontaneous or induced apoptosis. Notably, upon induction of apoptosis, B-CLL cells were much m

SUBMITTER: McCarthy BA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2464573 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Sep-Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature