Variation of LEF-1 mRNA expression in low-grade B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

During normal B-lymphocyte development once cells pass the pro-B stage the transcription factor LEF-1, a key component of the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway, is down regulated. However studies have shown that B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) lymphocytes, which have a mature B-cell phenotype, still express abundant LEF-1. This study demonstrates that although LEF-1 mRNA is universally, highly expressed in B-CLL, expression of this gene is much lower or absent in the majority of low-grade B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

Relative levels of alternative transcripts of the ING1 gene and lack of mutations of p33/ING1 in haematological malignancies.

The protein product of the ING1 gene physically interacts with p53 and appears necessary for the role of p53 in growth inhibition/apoptosis. Alternative splicing of the ING1 gene produces three transcripts: p24/ING1-ALT1, p47/ING1-ALT2 and p33/ING1. A competitive RT-PCR, which determines the relative levels of these transcripts, was employed to study peripheral blood lymphocytes from 49 patients with haematological malignancies and five normal controls.