Journal
BRITISH JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY
Volume 118, Issue 2, Pages 521-534Publisher
BLACKWELL PUBLISHING LTD
DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2141.2002.03637.x
Keywords
AML; apoptosis; cell cycle; Bcl-2; Bcl-XL
Categories
Funding
- NCI NIH HHS [CA 16672, CA 49639, P01 CA 55164] Funding Source: Medline
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In acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), cell kinetic quiescence has been postulated to contribute to drug resistance. As the anti-apoptotic genes Bcl-2 and Bcl-X-L have been implicated in cell cycle regulation, we investigated the expression of these genes in non-proliferating (Q) and proliferating (P) AML and normal CD34(+) progenitor cells. Using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, Bcl-X-L and Bcl-2 were overexpressed in Q versus P AML cells, whereas no difference in Bcl-X-S and Bax expression was found. Furthermore, the Bcl-X-L /X-S but not the Bcl-2/Bax ratio was higher in Q AML compared with normal CD34(+) Q cells (P = 0.001). An inverse correlation between Bcl-2 expression of leukaemic Q cells and their ability to enter the cell cycle was found. Treatment with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) reduced Bcl-2 and Bcl-X-L expression in the leukaemic Q cells, and enhanced their chemosensitivity to cytosine arabinoside (ara-C). These findings demonstrate overexpression of the anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-X-L and Bcl-2 in quiescent CD34(+) AML cells and suggest their involvement in the chemoresistance. The observed inverse correlation between Bcl-2 and proliferation suggests a role for Bcl-2 in the cell cycle regulation of AML. These findings could be used in the development of therapies that selectively induce apoptosis in quiescent leukaemic progenitor cells.
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