Altered Expression of Nuclear Non-Histone Protein (P44/46) in Different Stages of B-Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Abstract

Our previous data have shown some differences in electrophoretic characteristics of proteins from cellular fractions (nuclear, mitochondrial, microsomal and cytosolic) isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients and healthy donors. The main differences were found in electrophoretic patterns of nuclear proteins from normal and leukemia cells, especially in the nuclear mass regions of 36-52, 58-85, and 120-180 kDa. Electrophoretically-specific nuclear non-histone protein in the molecular mass zone 44/46 kDa of cells obtained from the peripheral blood of a B-CLL patient was used to produce rabbit polyclonal antiserum. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis as well as immunological techniques (Western blot and immunocytochemistry) indicate that the nuclear protein with a molecular mass of 44/46 kDa is specifically expressed in mononuclear cells from B-CLL patients. The expression of this particular nuclear protein seems to correlate with the progression of the leukemia.