LDL-dependent regulation of Bcl-2 and cyclin ‘D’ gene expression in lymphocytes from normal and CML patients

Effect of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) on the expression of Bcl-2 as well as cyclin ‘D’ genes was studied in Receptor ‘Ck’ (+ve) and Receptor ‘Ck’(−ve) human lymphocytes. LDL had no effect upon the elevated levels of Bcl-2 and cyclin ‘D’ gene products in Receptor ‘Ck’ (−ve) lymphocytes (from untreated CML patients), whereas in Receptor ‘Ck’ (+ve) lymphocytes (from normal subjects), the exposure to LDL regulated the level of cyclin ‘D’ gene product without initiating the expression of bcl-2 gene product. However, blockage of Receptor ‘Ck’ in normal lymphocytes, through its specific antibody (Ab-RCk) in presence or absence of LDL, resulted in the induction of both cyclin ‘D’ (at 4 h interval) and bcl-2 (at 12 h interval) gene products. Based upon these results, we propose that Receptor ‘Ck’ deficiency in cells may inherit defective apoptosis and capacity proliferation leading to leukemic transformation.