The Bcl-2 family of proteins is characterized by its ability to modulate cell death under a broad range of physiological conditions. Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL function to inhibit apoptosis while other members of the Bcl-2 family, Bax, Bad, Bak and Bcl-xS, oppose death-suppressing effects. An additional member of the family, A1 (also designated Bfl-1), dimerizes with both Bcl-2 and Bax and has been identified as a hematopoietic- specific, early inducible gene. While A1 demonstrates life promoting properties similar to those of Bcl-2, its function may be more temporally regulated during myeloid differentiation and dependent on additional growth stimuli to confer its life promoting properties. A1 is abundantly expressed in bone marrow and at low levels in other tissues. There is evidence that a correlation exists between a high expression of the A1 gene product and stomach cancer.
