Eleftheriades E G, Boumpas D T, Balow J E, Tsokos G C
Kidney Disease Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
Clin Immunol Immunopathol. 1989 Sep;52(3):507-15. doi: 10.1016/0090-1229(89)90163-3.
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNC) of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have increased expression of the c-myc protooncogene. The factors which are responsible for the accumulation of c-myc mRNA levels in SLE MNC, however, have not been determined. We have investigated the steady-state mRNA accumulation, nuclear transcription rate, rate of mRNA degradation as well as methylation status for the c-myc protooncogene in patients with SLE. Increased transcription rate of c-myc protooncogene and slow degradation rate of c-myc mRNA both appear to contribute to the accumulation of c-myc RNA in peripheral blood MNC of patients with SLE. Site-specific methylation of the human c-myc protooncogene in patients with SLE does not differ from that of normal controls. These findings provide evidence for both transcriptional and post-transcriptional alterations of c-myc protooncogene expression in human SLE.
