Lineage-Specific Requirement of c- abl Function in Normal Hematopoiesis

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Structural abnormalities of the c- abl proto-oncogene are found in hematopoietic cells of more than 90 percent of individuals with chronic myelogenous leukemia. Therefore c- abl may be important in normal as well as malignant hematopoiesis. Normal human hematopoietic progenitor cells were exposed to three different c- abl sense or antisense oligodeoxynucleotides, and the effects on myeloid and erythroid colony formation were examined. The c- abl antisense oligodeoxynucleotides inhibited myeloid, but not erythroid, colony formation. The c- abl sense oligodeoxynucleotides and bcr sense and antisense oligodeoxynucleotides were not inhibitory in this assay. These data show that c- abl is critical in normal myelopoiesis and may explain the relatively selective expansion of leukocytes in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia.