TCTP and Mcl-1 Proteins Rise in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Study Finds

Researchers studying chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) report that two proteins linked to cell survival, TCTP/HRF and Mcl-1, are present at significantly higher levels in patients than in healthy donors. The study, published in Molecular Biology Reports, measured both messenger RNA and protein levels of translationally controlled tumor protein, also known as histamine-releasing factor, alongside the anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1, which TCTP is known to stabilize.

The team analyzed samples from 54 CLL patients and 22 healthy controls using quantitative PCR to measure mRNA and flow cytometry to measure protein. Both TCTP and Mcl-1 showed elevated mRNA and protein levels in the patient group compared with controls, and the two proteins’ expression levels correlated strongly and positively with each other, consistent with the idea that they act together in a shared survival pathway.

The expression levels also tracked with clinical blood counts. TCTP mRNA, Mcl-1 mRNA, TCTP protein, and Mcl-1 protein levels were each positively correlated with lymphocyte counts in the evaluable patient cohort. In newly diagnosed patients, TCTP mRNA, TCTP protein, and Mcl-1 protein levels were inversely correlated with platelet counts, suggesting a possible link between this axis and features of more active disease, though the correlations do not establish causation.

The researchers also examined established prognostic markers. However, no significant associations were observed between either protein and disease stage, cytogenetic abnormalities, or CD38 expression, leaving the clinical meaning of the expression patterns uncertain.

CLL is characterized by defective apoptosis and overexpression of anti-apoptotic proteins, which allows malignant B cells to accumulate. Because TCTP is a highly conserved multifunctional protein with anti-apoptotic properties that stabilizes Mcl-1, the authors propose that the TCTP/Mcl-1 axis may contribute to CLL pathogenesis and progression. They caution that these findings are preliminary and warrant further investigation before the proteins could be considered therapeutic targets.

Subject of Research: Expression of the TCTP/HRF and Mcl-1 proteins in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients

Article Title: Expression of TCTP/HRF and MCL-1 in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: implications for disease pathogenesis

Article References: Kayhan, H., Sunguroglu, A., Gokcen, S., Kizilkaya, C., & Yagci, M. (2026). Expression of TCTP/HRF and MCL-1 in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: implications for disease pathogenesis. Molecular Biology Reports, 53(1), Article 1815. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-026-13056-3

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s11033-026-13056-3

Keywords: chronic lymphocytic leukemia, TCTP, HRF, Mcl-1, apoptosis, qPCR, flow cytometry, ZAP-70, lymphocyte count, platelet count, anti-apoptotic proteins, biomarkers