C-JUN AND GST-PI EXPRESSION IN HUMAN PLASMA-CELLS

Bone marrow samples from 33 patients affected by MM and MGUS, and 8 pa tients not affected by lymphoproliferative diseases were studied for e xpression of c-Jun (a component of the transcription factor AP-1) and glutathione-S-transferase pi (GST-pi) using immunocytochemical methods . A high and frequent expression of these two proteins was found both in MM ard MGUS patients (31/33 patients positive for c-Jun and 29/33 p atients positive for GST-pi) and in controls not affected by monoclona l gammopathy (7/8 patients positive for both c-Jun and GST-pi). No sta tistically significant correlation was found between c-Jun- and GST-pi -positive plasma cells. The expression of these two proteins was not r elated to clinical or laboratory data. Our results seem to confirm a p ossible role of the transcriptional complex AP-1 in activating GST-pi promoter in human plasma cells. (C) 1997, Ferrata Storti Foundation.