CORRELATION BETWEEN PRO- AND ANTI-APOPTOTIC GENE EXPRESSION AND TELOMERASE ACTIVITY IN B- CELL LYMPHOMAS

The growth of lymphoid cells is regulated by a delicate balance between molecules controlling cell survival and cell death. Although some studies examined telomerase activity and Bcl-2, Mcl1 and p53 gene expression in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL), side-by-side analysis of these genes in different types of NHL is still missing. Therefore, blood specimens representing 60 cases of different NHL types were obtained from the Hematology Clinic, Coltea Hospital. Total RNA was isolated and reverse-transcribed in order to evaluate Bcl-2, Mcl1 and p53 mRNA expression and telomerase activity. The results showed a high expression of hTERT mRNA in the majority of NHL cases (85%) but also different expression levels of the anti-apoptotic genes. On the other hand, p53 mRNA expression was negative in over 55% of the cases, the negative correlation between Bcl-2 and p53 mRNA expression suggesting that the former was negatively regulated by the latter. The results suggest that pro- and anti- apoptotic genes Bcl-2, Mcl1 and p53 take part in the regulation of apoptosis in NHL and contribute to a different extent in progression to malignancy. The molecular mechanisms controlling cell proliferation and death in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are complex, probably involving many genes, including those taken under study.