High expression of the bcl-x gene in Reed-Sternberg cells of Hodgkin's disease.
The expression of bcl-x protein, a bcl-2-related protein present in cortical thymocytes, activated lymphocytes, and plasma cells of reactive lymph nodes, was investigated in 44 cases of Hodgkin's disease (HD) in parallel with bcl-2 and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) status. Eighty-six percent of the cases were positive for bcl-x, among them 27% with a strong signal in more than 75% of the Reed-Sternberg cells. Positivity for bcl-x was found in, respectively, 100% and 92% of the nodular sclerosis and mixed cellularity subtypes, although 4 cases of lymphocyte predominance subtype were negative. This finding was in contrast with the weaker positivity for bcl-2 staining in 44% of the cases. EBV small RNAs were detected in 43% of the cases by using in situ hybridization. Of interest, 100% of the EBV-positive samples were positive for bcl-x, whereas only 38% of these cases were bcl-2 positive. Our findings show that the bcl-x gene expression is high in HD, suggesting that bcl-x may have a role in the pathogenesis of at least some cases of HD via apoptosis regulation.
Schlaifer
D
D
Service d'Hématologie, Clinique Dieulafoy, Hôpital de Purpan, Toulouse, France.
March
M
M
Krajewski
S
S
Laurent
G
G
Pris
J
J
Delsol
G
G
Reed
J C
JC
Brousset
P
P
D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016539:Reed-Sternberg Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D051020:bcl-X Protein
C494811:BCL2L1 protein, human; D004279:DNA, Viral; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051020:bcl-X Protein