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The BCL-2 Gene: A Regulator of Programmed Cell Death

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Book cover Apoptosis

Part of the book series: Pezcoller Foundation Symposia ((PFSO,volume 5))

Abstract

The bcl-2 gene was cloned as a novel gene located at a chromosomal translocation breakpoint in follicular B cell lymphomas by three groups in 19851,2,3 Follicular lymphomas are indolent tumors, difficult to eradicate but slow to progress, and are believed to originate from centrocytic B cells in germinal centers4. 85% or more of follicular lymphomas carry a t(14;18) (q32;q21) leading to the expectation that a new cellular oncogene would be activated by this translocation5,6 The bcl-2 gene is found on chromosome 18 at q21 and juxtaposed in a tail to head fashion to elements of the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus on chromosome 14 in the 14;18 translocation (Figure 1). As expected, the bcl-2-Ig fusion mRNA is overproduced in t(14;18) cells, leading to elevated levels of the 26 kd bcl-2 protein and changes in cellular phenotype7,8.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Clinical Research and Program in Molecular Medicine, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA

    David M. Hockenbery

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  1. David M. Hockenbery
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York, USA

    Enrico Mihich

  2. Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA

    Robert T. Schimke

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© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Hockenbery, D.M. (1994). The BCL-2 Gene: A Regulator of Programmed Cell Death. In: Mihich, E., Schimke, R.T. (eds) Apoptosis. Pezcoller Foundation Symposia, vol 5. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9217-1_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9217-1_10

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-9219-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-9217-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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