Quantitative analysis of the anti-apoptotic gene survivin expression in malignant haematopoietic cells.

BACKGROUND

In this study we investigated expression profiles of the anti-apoptotic gene survivin in malignant human haematopoietic cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Using a quantitative TaqMan reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, survivin and bcl-2 mRNA expression were examined in 12 malignant haematopoietic cell lines, in 21 patients with haematopoietic malignancies and in normal leukocyte fractions.

RESULTS

Survivin mRNA levels, demonstrable in all 12 malignant cell lines, differed but showed no relationship to the cell of origin. Conversely, no survivin mRNA expression was detected in normal leukocyte fractions. Further, survivin mRNA was expressed in 16 out of 21 patients with malignancies. Five days after treatment of HL-60 cells with a combination of all-trans retinoic acid and tumor necrosis factor, survivin expression decreased to 14.1% of that in untreated cells. Further, survivin mRNA expression in K-562/ADR cells with acquired resistance to adriamycin was 1.7 times that in parent K-562 cells.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicated the possibility that quantitation of survivin mRNA expression is a useful tool for the detection of haematopoietic tumor cells in clinical laboratory test and that survivin could be a target for treatment of haematopoietic malignancies.