G6PD activity and gene expression in leukemic cells from G6PD-deficient subjects

In the present study we examined gene expression and glucose-6-phosphate de hydrogenase (G6PD) activity in leukemic cells isolated from G6PD normal and deficient subjects. The results have shown that G6PD activity strongly inc reases in G6PD normal leukemic cells as well as in G6PD deficient leukemic cells when compared to peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Higher le vels of G6PD gene expression were observed in leukemic cells from G6PD defi cient patients compared to G6PD normal. A similar pattern of gene expressio n was also observed for 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMGCoA) redu ctase. These results support the hypothesis that G6PD deficient cell, in or der to sustain their growth, must respond to the low activity of their muta nt enzyme with an increase in quantity through an induction of gene express ion. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.