A 70-Year-Old Man Develops Progressive Fatigue and Easy Bruising

A 70-year-old man develops progressive fatigue and easy bruising.  He has had unintentional weight loss and episodic fevers.  Physical examination shows splenomegaly and enlarged lymph nodes in the cervical, axillary, and inguinal regions.  Complete blood count reveals anemia, thrombocytopenia, and leukocytosis.  Peripheral blood smear shows an increased number of small, mature-appearing, abnormal lymphocytes, which express CD20 and kappa light chains.  During treatment, the patient receives an agent that directly binds and inhibits BCL-2 protein.  Which of the following is the most likely effect of this therapy on the abnormal cells?

A) Accumulation of ubiquitinated intracellular proteins
B) Greater susceptibility to cytotoxic T cells
C) Increased activation of caspases
D) Increased single-strand DNA breaks
E) Interruption of cell growth in S phase
F) Targeting of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity

Correct Answer:

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