DIGE-based proteomic analysis identifies nucleophosmin/B23 and nucleolin C23 as over-expressed proteins in relapsed/refractory acute leukemia

Drug resistance is a challenge in treatment of acute leukemia. To investigate novel protein changes involved in resistance, protein expression profiles between leukemia cell line HL-60 and adriamycin-resistant HL-60 (HL-60/ADR) were compared based on a proteomic approach-2D-DIGE followed by MALDI-TOF/MS. 13 protein spots were identified as up-regulated and 3 down-regulated in HL-60/ADR. Nucleophosmin/B23 (NPM B23) and nucleolin C23 (C23) were selected and verified by western blot, which showed an obvious up-regulation in leukemia cells, especially in 3 resistant leukemia cell lines and in relapsed/refractory patients. To a conclusion, B23 and C23 may be involved in drug resistance and be useful in assessing the prognosis of leukemia.