CELL-DEATH REGULATION DURING MULTISTEP LYMPHOMAGENESIS

The three most common genetic abnormalities occurring in malignant lym phomas involve alterations resulting in the deregulated expression of the c-myc and bcl-2 oncogenes and the inactivation of the p53 tumor su ppressor gene. Relevant strains of genetically engineered mice, includ ing bcl-2-Ig and E mu-myc transgenic mice and p53 knockout mice, have been used to prospectively examine the regulation of apoptotic cell de ath by these genes, individually and in combination, and their contrib ution to in vivo lymphomagenesis. The potential importance of the ther apeutic induction of apoptosis is discussed.