THE RETINOBLASTOMA GENE-PRODUCT IN ACUTE MYELOID-LEUKEMIA - A POSSIBLE INVOLVEMENT IN PROMYELOCYTIC LEUKEMIA

The retinoblastoma susceptibility gene in leukemia and lymphoma has be en investigated using different approaches involving either gene or pr otein analysis. In this study, a novel method, which evaluates the fun ctional status of the retinoblastoma gene product by a binding assay t o an in vitro-translated viral oncoprotein, has been applied to leukem ic cells from acute myeloid leukemia patients. One hundred twenty-two cases mere considered, and 42 of them were also analyzed by Western bl ot, Results obtained with the two methods were comparable, with the ex ception of few cases, where the retinoblastoma protein appeared detect able but unable to bind to the viral oncoprotein. The retinoblastoma p rotein has been found defective mostly in the M3 promyelocytic subtype .