ZytoLight ® SPEC MCL1/1p12 Dual Color Probe

The ZytoLight ® SPEC MCL1/1p12 Dual Color Probe is designed for the detection of MCL1 gene amplifications. The MCL1 (myeloid cell leukemia 1, a.k.a. BCL2L3) gene is located in the chromosomal region 1q21.3 and encodes for an anti-apoptotic protein that belongs to the BCL2 family. These genes are involved in a wide variety of cellular activities including lymphocyte development and hematopoiesis. MCL1 amplifications have been reported in several human cancers including bladder, gastric, ovarian, lung, breast, melanoma, and hematologic malignancies. Overexpression of MCL1 reduces MYC-induced apoptosis in immortalized bronchial epithelial cells. Furthermore, MCL1 amplifications are found in many tumor cell lines with resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. However, many MCL1 amplified cell lines are sensitive to treatment with the cyclindependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor dinaciclib. Targeting the BCL2 family proteins with small non-peptidic compounds, so called BH3-mimetics, is currently investigated in clinical trials. Hence, the identification of MCL1 amplifications by Fluorescence in situ Hybridization and the inhibition of MCL1 signaling may be of therapeutic significance in various types of tumors.