Regulation of the proto-oncogenes bcl-2 and c-myc by the Wilms' tumor suppressor gene WT1.

The Wilms' tumor gene WT1 functions as a tumor suppressor gene, repressing transcription of several growth factors and growth factor receptors. The bcl-2 and c-myc proto-oncogenes are essential for regulation of apoptosis and cell proliferation with roles in development and oncogenesis. We found that WT1 can repress transcription of both the bcl-2 and c-myc promoters. This suggests that WT1 regulates bcl-2 and c-myc during renal development, and the loss of functional WT1 results in deregulation of bcl-2 and c-myc, contributing to tumor formation.