Expression of Bcl-2 protein and the amplification of c-myc gene in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia

Abstract

Background/aim: Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) represents a malignant myeloproliferative disease developed out of pluripotent hematopoietic stem cell that contains the fusion bcr-abl gene. Disorders that occur in the process of apoptosis represent one of the possible molecular mechanisms that bring about the disease progress. The aim of our study was to carry out the analysis of the presence of the amplification of the c-myc oncogene, as well as the analysis of the changes in the expression of Bcl-2 in the patients with CML.

Methods: Our study included 25 patients with CML (18 in chronic phase, 7 in blast transformation). Using an immunohistochemical alkaline phosphatase-anti-alkaline phosphatase (APAAP) method, we analyzed the expression of cell death protein in the mononuclear bone marrow cells of 25 CML patients. By a differential PCR (polymerase chain reaction) method, we followed the presence of amplified c-myc gene in mononuclear peripheral blood cells.

Results: The level of the expression of Bcl-2 protein was considerably higher in the bone marrow samples of the patients undergoing blast transformation of the disease. The amplification of c-myc gene was detected in 30% of the patients in blast transformation of the disease.

Conclusion: The expression of Bcl-2 protein and the amplification of c-myc gene are in correlation with the disease progression.