Coexpression of anionic glutathione-S-transferase (GST pi) and multidrug resistance (mdr1) genes in acute myeloid and lymphoid leukemias.

Abstract By using RNA slot-blot technique the frequency and degree of GST pi and mdr1 gene coexpression was investigated in 23 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and nine patients with acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL). With respect to the negative controls, MCF7 and HL-60 cell lines, increased GST pi and mdr1 mRNA levels, expressed as arbitrary units (U), were respectively detected both in AML and in ALL patients. A positive and significant correlation between GST pi and mdr1 gene expression was found in the group of AML patients, while in the smaller group of ALL patients only a trend could be shown. These data show that two different mechanisms of drug resistance can be coexpressed at the same time in patients with acute myeloid and lymphoid leukemia. From this evidence many important clinical and therapeutic questions arise.