Apoptosis or programmed cell death is a genetically regulated process of
cellular suicide. Apoptosis has been implicated in a wide range of
pathological conditions, and mutations in apoptotic genes play important
roles in the process of malignant transformation. Chronic leukemia represents
a neoplastic disorder caused primarily by defective programmed cell death, as
opposed to increased cell proliferation. This paper presents the main results
of our ten-year research on the apoptosis of leukemia cells. The research
included the morphological aspects of the process, the effect of
antineoplastic agents on the induction of apoptosis in leukemia cells and
expression analysis of the proteins involved in programmed cell death.
Special attention was paid to the expression and interaction of the Bcl-2
family of proteins in leukemia cells. The ultimate aim of the study of
apoptosis of leukemic cells is the discovery of new biological agents that
might be used in the treatment of chronic leukemia.
Inula graveolens induces selective cytotoxicity in glioblastoma and chronic leukemia cells
