The specific association of zeta-crystallin with the bcl-2 ARE was significantly enhanced in T cells of patients with ALL, which accounts for the higher stability of bcl-2 mRNA and suggests a possible contribution of zeta-crystallin to bcl-2 overexpression occurring in this leukemia.
Although a family-based study previously demonstrated over-transmission of this allele among childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia cases, the meta-analysis showed that the presence of a NQO1*2 variant allele, which reduces the activity of the enzyme NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), had no significant effect on childhood leukemia.