Bcl-2 expression in acute myelogenous leukemia: the relation to myeloid antigen expression and response to therapy in Iranian patients
Abstract:
Product of Bcl-2 gene prolongs survival of hematopoietic cells by inhibition of programmed cell death. The aim of this study is to examine the expression of the bcl-2 protein in a group of patients with AML and its relation to clinical features and response to therapy. Slides from the bone marrow or peripheral blood of 70 patients with AML were assessed for the expression of bcl-2 by immunocytochemistry. The expression of myeloid and non-lineage associated markers was detected by indirect immunofluorescence method. Correlation between bcl-2 and markers expression and patients characteristics was determined. More than 20 % positivity for bcl-2 was found in 22 (31.4 %) patients. Bcl-2 expression showed an association with M4 and M5 subtypes (p