Overexpression of the novel member of the BCL2 gene family, BCL2L12, is associated with the disease outcome in patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

OBJECTIVES: BCL2L12 is a recently discovered and cloned gene from members of our research team. It is a novel member of the BCL2 gene family, members of which are implicated in different hematological malignancies. In the present study, we investigated and studied the expression profile of BCL2L12 in acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

DESIGN AND METHODS: Total RNA was isolated from peripheral blood of 67 AML patients and healthy donors. The expression profile of BCL2L12 was studied using real-time PCR methodology (SYBR Green chemistry). We also evaluated the association of the BCL2L12 mRNA expression level with clinical and pathological disease parameters, as well with disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS), using the chi-square (χ(2)) test or the Fisher's exact test, where appropriate.

RESULTS: Leukemia patients expressing high level of BCL2L12 were 3 times more likely to relapse (p=0.004) or die (p=0.007) than patients with low level of BCL2L12 expression. Additionally, statistically significant relationships were revealed between BCL2L12 expression level and CD117 expression, the presence of splenomegaly and chemotherapy response.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that BCL2L12 can be considered as a new independent prognostic and chemotherapy response marker in AML.