Bcr–Abl variants: biological and clinical aspects

Bcr–Abl is an oncogene that arises from fusion of the Bcr gene with the c-Abl proto-oncogene. Three different Bcr–Abl variants can be formed, depending on the amount of Bcr gene included: p185, p210, and p230. The three variants are associated with distinct types of human leukemias. Examination of the signaling pathways differentially regulated by the Bcr–Abl proteins will help us gain better insight into Bcr–Abl mediated leukemogenesis.