v-abl activates embryonic globin gene expression in mouse erythroleukemia cells.

The Philadelphia chromosome translocation, which is present in 90-95% of chronic myelogenous leukemia patients, involves translocation of the c-abl protooncogene to chromosome 22 and is accompanied by activation of embryonic globin gene expression in the K562 chronic myelogenous leukemia cell line. To test directly if the protein products of the translocated c-abl protooncogene can activate embryonic globin gene expression, we transfected the v-abl oncogene (which shares the property of autophosphorylation with the translocated c-abl protooncogene) into mouse erythroleukemia cells. v-abl-transfected mouse erythroleukemia cells, which contained multiple copies of the v-abl transgenome, exhibited activation of mouse embryonic globin gene expression. These results suggest that the translocated c-abl protooncogene of the Philadelphia chromosome translocation is central to the pathogenesis of chronic myelogenous leukemia and that it may result in the activation of embryonic globin genes in some chronic myelogenous leukemia cell lines.