Altered expression of nuclear non-histone protein (P44/46) in different stages of B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Our previous data have shown some differences in electrophoretic characteri stics of proteins from cellular fractions (nuclear, mitochondrial, microsom al and cytosolic) isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of B-cel l chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients and healthy donors. The main differences were found in electrophor etic patterns of nuclear proteins from normal and leukemia cells, especiall y in the nuclear mass regions of 36-52, 58-85, and 120-180 kDa. Electrophor etically-specific nuclear non-histone protein in the molecular mass zone 44 /46 kDa of cells obtained from the peripheral blood of a B-CLL patient was used to produce rabbit polyclonal antiserum. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electro phoresis as well as immunological techniques (Western blot and immunocytoch emistry) indicate that the nuclear protein with a molecular mass of 44/46 k Da is specifically expressed in mononuclear cells from B-CLL patients. The expression of this particular nuclear protein seems to correlate with the p rogression of the leukemia.