Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P10415 (Bcl-2)
 33,771 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

B chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) is characterized by the accumulation of slow-dividing and long-lived monoclonal B cells arrested at the intermediate stage of their differentiation. We previously showed that interleukin 4 (IL-4) not only inhibits but also prevents the proliferation of B-CLL cells. We report here that IL-4 protects the B-CLL cells from death by apoptosis (programmed cell death [PCD]). IL-4 inhibits spontaneous and hydrocortisone (HC)-induced PCD of highly purified B cells from 12 unselected CLL patients, as shown by sustained cell viability and lack of DNA fragmentation. IL-1, -2, -3, -5, -6, -7, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and transforming growth factor beta have no protective effect. The in vitro rescue from apoptosis by IL-4 is reflected by an increased expression of Bcl-2 protein, a proto-oncogene directly involved in the prolongation of cell survival in vivo and in vitro. Hence, IL-4-treated B-CLL cells express significantly more Bcl-2 than unstimulated, HC-treated, or fresh B-CLL cells. Furthermore, subcutaneous injection of IL-4 into one CLL patient enhances Bcl-2 protein expression in the leukemic B cells. These data may suggest that IL-4 prevents apoptosis of B-CLL cells using a Bcl-2-dependent pathway. Given our recent observations that fresh T cells from B-CLL patients express IL-4 mRNA, we propose that IL-4 has an essential role in the pathogenesis of CLL disease, by preventing both the death and the proliferation of the malignant B cells.
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PMID:Interleukin 4 protects chronic lymphocytic leukemic B cells from death by apoptosis and upregulates Bcl-2 expression. 140 78

The Bcl-2 proto-oncogene was discovered at the t(14;18) breakpoint found in most follicular B-cell lymphomas and some diffuse large-cell lymphomas. Bcl-2 is unique among proto-oncogenes, being localized to mitochondria and extending cell survival by blocking programmed cell death. We examined Bcl-2 protein expression in 82 hematologic malignancies and reactive lymphoid processes. All lymphomas with Bcl-2 rearrangement demonstrated high levels of Bcl-2 protein. However, most follicular and diffuse lymphomas without Bcl-2 rearrangement also displayed intense Bcl-2 staining. In these cases, mechanisms other than classic translocation may be deregulation Bcl-2. The pattern of Bcl-2 staining in follicular lymphoma is the inverse of the pattern in reactive hyperplasia, confirming a role for Bcl-2 immunolocalization in routine diagnosis. Small lymphocytic malignancies, including small lymphocytic lymphoma, mantle zone lymphoma, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, expressed intermediate levels of Bcl-2. Bcl-2 protein varied in plasma cell dyscrasias. Bcl-2 protein levels in T-cell lymphomas reflected their corresponding stage of development. No substantial Bcl-2 was present in the Reed-Sternberg cells of nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease. Chronic myelogenous leukemia was strongly positive for Bcl-2, consistent with the presence of Bcl-2 in normal myeloid progenitors. Immunohistochemistry identified an expanded spectrum of hematopoietic neoplasms in which Bcl-2 may provide a cell survival advantage.
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PMID:Immunolocalization of the Bcl-2 protein within hematopoietic neoplasms. 186 40

Little is known about the biochemical or functional nature of the proteins encoded by the bcl-2 gene, which undergoes chromosomal translocation in approximately 85% of follicular lymphoma, 20% of diffuse large cell lymphoma and 10% of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia of B cells. Translocation of bcl-2 sequences from chromosome 18 to the JH segment of the immunoglobulin gene at chromosome band 14q32 in B cells results in deregulated expression of this gene, causing high steady state levels of bcl-2 messenger RNA2. DNA sequence data indicate that bcl-2 encodes two proteins by virtue of alternative splicing, designated as Bcl-2 alpha and Bcl-2 beta, with relative molecular masses of 26,000 and 22,000 respectively. Cell fractionation experiments indicate that the bcl-2 alpha gene product is located at the inner surface of the cell membrane, suggesting a possible role in mitogenic signal transduction. We report here that Bcl-2 alpha has GTP-binding activity and a protein sequence that suggests it belongs to the small molecular weight GTP-binding protein (G protein) family.
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PMID:The bcl-2 gene encodes a novel G protein. 247 90

Three cellular or putative oncogenes: c-myc, bcl1, and bcl2 were previously found to be rearranged in some B cell malignancies due to chromosomal translocations. Data concerning the role of such genetic rearrangements in B-CLL are very scanty and limited to few cases in which bcl1 rearrangements were found. We studied DNA samples from 38 cases of B-CLL by Southern blot technique in order to find out the existence and frequency of such events. No bcl1 or bcl2 rearrangements were found in any of the studied cases; thus, involvement of these genes in CLL must be rare. In one patient who had an aggressive and resistant disease, c-myc rearrangement was found.
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PMID:A search for bcl1, bcl2, and c-myc oncogene rearrangements in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. 264 78

We have investigated the precise distribution of human B-lymphocyte subpopulations (CD5+ B lymphocyte, Leu-8+ lymphocyte, immunoglobulin D (IgD)+ lymphocyte, alkaline phosphatase (ALPase)+ B lymphocyte and bcl-2 protein+ B lymphocyte) within the mantle zones (MZs) and phenotypic characterization of human CD5+ B lymphocytes using immunohistochemical techniques and flow cytometric analysis. IgD+ lymphocytes and ALPase B lymphocytes were confined to the inner layer and outer layer of the MZs of secondary follicles, respectively. CD5+ B lymphocytes and Leu-8+ B lymphocytes were mostly located in the inner layer of the MZs. Bcl-2 protein+ B lymphocytes were seen throughout the MZs. The precise distribution pattern of human B-lymphocyte subpopulations may help further understanding of the histogenesis and features of B-cell lymphomas, particularly mantle cell-derived lymphomas as well as the B-cell differentiation pathway. A minor population of CD5+ B lymphocytes expressed IgD. Almost all the CD5+ lymphocytes did not express ALPase. The data support the fact that CD5+ B lymphocytes are located more in the inner layer than in the outer layer of the MZs. Leu-8 and bcl-2 protein were detected in a large population of CD5+ B lymphocytes. In addition, Ki-67 antigen was not expressed on the CD5+ B lymphocytes. The data suggest that human CD5+ B lymphocytes may be long-living and resting (G0 and G1a stage) cells possessing the capability of continuously recirculating between blood and lymph nodes to participate in some immune responses. Moreover, Leu-8 and CD44 were detected in the majority of CD5+ B lymphocytes but intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and very late antigen-4 (VLA-4) were detected in the minority. The data may account for a high percentage of Leu-8 and CD44 expression and a low percentage of ICAM-1 and VLA-4 expression on B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL), which is considered to be a neoplastic counterpart of normal CD5+ B lymphocyte.
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PMID:Phenotypic characterization of human B-lymphocyte subpopulations, particularly human CD5+ B-lymphocyte subpopulation within the mantle zones of secondary follicles. 751 26

We have analyzed phenotypic, functional, and molecular properties of B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) cells as compared to normal B cell differentiation stages and/or subsets. The possibility that the target B cell population transformed by the I primary oncogenic event(s) belongs to the normal CD5+ B cell subset from B mantle zone of secondary follicles is highly likely on phenotypic grounds. Though the genes responsible for the primary oncogenic event are presently unknown, a number of functional and molecular findings indicate that the end-product of their transforming activity is a cell frozen in the G0 phase of the cell cycle. This cell has several abnormalities that prevent an appropriate mitogenic response and presents a pattern of apoptosis-related gene expression that hinders apoptotic death. Pivotal to this apoptosis-escaping capacity is the expression of Bcl-2. We suggest that the increased expression of Bcl-2 together with an asynchronism between the expression of Bcl-2, c-myc, and APO1/Fas gene products shift the cellular balance away from apoptosis thereby helping the progressive accumulation in G0 of malignant CD5+ B cells.
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PMID:The nature of the B lymphocyte in B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia. 751 20

Recent studies have disclosed variable effects of IL-10 on viabilities of human B lineage cells. Thus, IL-10 has been shown to prevent apoptosis of germinal center B cells, whereas IL-10 has been found to induce apoptosis of B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells, suggesting the possibility that the effects of IL-10 might be different depending on the state of activation of B cells. The current studies therefore examined in detail the regulation of the survival of human peripheral blood B cells by IL-10 and its relevance to Ig production. Highly purified B cells from healthy adult individuals were cultured with Staphylococcus aureus (SA) Cowan I in the presence or absence of IL-10. When IL-10 was present during the initial activation of B cells with SA, IL-10 facilitated the apoptosis of SA-activated B cells, as determined by staining with propidium iodide, followed by analysis with flow cytometry, thus resulting in very modest IgM production. IL-2 prevented the IL-10-mediated progression of the apoptosis of SA-activated B cells during the initial activation, and thus restored the further differentiation of these B cells into Ig secreting cells. By contrast, IL-10 rather rescued SA-activated B cells from apoptosis and thus supported the differentiation of these B cells without any influences of IL-2, when it was added after 72 h of culture. Of note, cyclosporin A prevented the IL-10-mediated promotion of the apoptosis of SA-activated B cells, thus resulting in the marked enhancement of IgM production of B cells stimulated with SA + IL-10. Finally, the promotion or prevention of the IL-10-mediated apoptosis was correlated with the expression of Bcl-2 oncoprotein in SA-activated B cells. These results indicate that the effects of IL-10 are different depending on the state of activation of B cells after ligation of Ag receptors. Thus, the data have demonstrated that IL-10 during the initial activation delivers negative signals that promote the apoptosis of B cells, whereas IL-10 supports the differentiation of B cells in the complete absence of IL-2 during the subsequent responses following activation. These results therefore emphasize unique biphasic effects of IL-10 on human B cell responsiveness in determining the outcome of humoral immune responses.
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PMID:The role of IL-10 in human B cell activation, proliferation, and differentiation. 772 92

Chronic B lymphocytic leukemia cells (B-CLL), characterized by the accumulation in vivo of long-life span B cells, exhibit spontaneous programmed cell death or apoptosis when cultured in vitro. We show that interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha), although able to decrease in vivo the number of leukemic cells, protects chronic B lymphocytic leukemia cells from in vitro programmed cell death or apoptosis. This inhibition of spontaneous in vitro apoptosis of leukemic B cells was observed after 24-48 hr of culture with 100-1000 U of either Interferon-alpha 2a or 2b. The protective activity was observed in the majority of the patients tested (6 out of 8) independent of the amount of apoptosis observed. Furthermore, in contrast to IL-4, IFN-alpha did not up-regulate the expression of Bcl-2. This suggests that B-CLL cells can be prevented from undergoing apoptosis in vitro by at least two different mechanisms: one, triggered for instance by IL-4, is associated with Bcl-2 production and the second triggered by Interferon-alpha is Bcl-2 independent. To elucidate the pathways mobilized by Interferon-alpha we also studied the regulation of c-myc expression in our experimental system. We found that (i) induction of in vitro B-CLL apoptosis was not associated with up-regulation of c-myc, (ii) c-myc expression as assessed by mRNA and protein determinations was increased after in vitro or in vivo Interferon-alpha stimulation. Additional experiments using c-myc specific oligonucleotides demonstrated that when Interferon-alpha-mediated c-myc expression was decreased by 60%, the in vitro protective effect of Interferon-alpha was not modified. Thus our data show that in contrast to the situation in vivo, Interferon-alpha prevents spontaneous in vitro B-CLL cells apoptosis through a Bcl-2-independent pathway which is probably not related to c-myc up-regulation.
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PMID:Interferon-alpha-mediated prevention of in vitro apoptosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia B cells: role of bcl-2 and c-myc. 792 26

Bcl-2 protein was analysed in cell cultures derived from non-Hodgkin lymphomas and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia patients. The presence of bcl-2 proto-oncogene protein product has been demonstrated on cytospin preparations utilising immunochemical methods. The correlation between the expression of the bcl-2 protein and the appearance of proliferation- or differentiation related figures was studied. The reported bcl-2 up regulation in malignant lymphoid cells was confirmed in haemo- and lymphopoietic progenitor cells as well as in TPA/PHA activated peripheral blood lymphocytes. In comparison to neoplastic cells lower intensity of bcl-2 positive staining in freshly isolated cells from non-leukaemic tissue was observed.
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PMID:Studies on bcl-2 protein in cultured lymphoid cells. 801 87

The bcl-2 gene becomes transcriptionally deregulated in the majority of low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphomas as a result of t(14;18) translocations that place the bcl-2 gene at 18q21 into juxtaposition with the Ig heavy-chain locus at 14q32. This chromosomal translocation or similar bcl-2 gene rearrangements involving the Ig light-chain genes have been reported to occur in some cases of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). We analyzed the structure, methylation, and expression of the bcl-2 gene in 20 cases of B-CLL or closely related variants of this lymphoproliferative disorder, including at least 16 typical examples of CD5+ B-CLL. None of the 20 specimens had evidence of bcl-2 gene rearrangements, based on Southern blot analysis using three different bcl-2 probes. However, immunoblot analysis using antibodies specific for the Bcl-2 protein showed that 14 of 20 cases (70%) contained levels of p26-Bcl-2 that were equal to or greater than those found in a t(14;18)-bearing lymphoma cell line. Furthermore, in 19 of 20 cases (95%), the Bcl-2 protein was present at levels that were 1.7- to 25-fold higher than in normal peripheral blood lymphocytes. These differences in the relative levels of Bcl-2 protein among cases of B-CLL appeared to be functionally significant, in that a preliminary analysis of 3 representative cases showed that CLL cells with higher levels of Bcl-2 protein survived longer in culture and were delayed in their onset of DNA degradation relative to CLL cells with lower Bcl-2 protein levels. Evaluation of the methylation status of the bcl-2 gene using the isoschizomers Msp I and Hpa II, and a probe corresponding to the first major exon of the gene showed complete demethylation of both copies of the bcl-2 gene in a region corresponding to a 2.4-kb Msp I fragment in all 20 cases of B-CLL. In contrast, analysis of 6 of 6 B-cell lines that harbor a t(14;18) was consistent with hypomethylation of only one of the two bcl-2 alleles. Neither copy of the bcl-2 gene was demethylated in this region in 5 of 5 lymphoid cell lines that lack this translocation. However, hypomethylation of the bcl-2 gene did not necessarily correlate with the relative levels of Bcl-2 protein present in the B-CLL cells, suggesting that additional mechanisms for regulating bcl-2 expression are involved.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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PMID:bcl-2 gene hypomethylation and high-level expression in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. 810 32


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