Bcl-2 ( B-cell lymphoma 2 ) is the founding member of the Bcl-2 family of apoptosis regulator proteins encoded by the BCL2 gene . The Bcl-2 gene has been implicated in a number of cancers , including melanoma , breast , prostate , chronic lymphocytic leukemia , and lung carcinomas , as well as schizophrenia and autoimmunity . It is also thought to be involved in resistance to conventional cancer treatment. This suggests that decreased apoptosis may play a role in the development of cancer. Bcl-2 inhibitors include: an antisense oligonucleotide drug Genasense, ΑΒΤ-737 which is one(among many so-called BH3) mimetic small molecule inhibitors which may prove valuable in the therapy of lymphoma and other blood cancers, ΑΒΤ-199 which is applied on patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and Obatoclax (GX15-070) which has phase II results for small-cell lung cancer.
