The novel member of the BCL2 gene family, BCL2L12, is substantially elevated in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients, supporting its value as a significant biomarker.

BCL2L12 is a recently identified gene belonging to the BCL2 family, members of which are implicated in hematologic malignancies, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The aim of this study was to analyze the mRNA expression of the novel apoptosis-related gene BCL2L12 in patients with CLL and to examine its prognostic and predictive value and potential clinical application as a novel molecular biomarker for CLL. For this purpose, total RNA was isolated from peripheral blood of 65 CLL patients and 23 healthy donors.

Phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase catalytic subunit alpha gene amplification contributes to the pathogenesis of mantle cell lymphoma.

Purpose: Activation of phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase pathway is implicated in the pathogenesis of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). The genetic change in phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) in MCL has not been identified.

Experimental Design: Thirty-five primary MCL cases and 2 MCL cell lines (GRANTA-519 and Rec-1) were used to investigate somatic mutation and gene copy number of PIK3CA.

Absence of p16 and p27 gene rearrangements and mutations in de novo myelodysplastic syndromes.

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) represent a group of clonal hematopoietic disorders characterized by dyshemopoiesis and frequent evolution to acute leukemia. Tumor suppressor gene inactivation may be involved in MDS pathogenesis. The two families of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKIs) (INK4 family of p15, p16, p18 and p19 and CIP/KIP family of p21, p27 and p57) that negatively regulate cell cycle progression are known tumor suppressor genes.