Immunohistochemical detection of bcl-2 protein in thymoma.
The protooncogene bcl-2 encodes a protein that inhibits apoptosis. The protein is expressed in most epithelial cells of the fetal thymic medulla but, to the best of our knowledge, no data are available on bcl-2 expression in thymoma. Expression of bcl-2 protein was analysed in 30 cases of thymoma by immunohistological staining of paraffin-embedded tissue. All cases were examined and classified according to the Salyer and Eggleston and the Müller-Hermelink classification. In four cases, the protooncogene bcl-2 was abnormally expressed in spindle cells of pure medullary thymoma, whereas the non-spindle cells in mixed and in cortical thymoma were negative. All the lymphocytes were also strongly positive in medullary thymoma while a few lymphocytes showed light staining in other thymomas.
Service d'anatomie et de cytologie pathologiques, Hôpital Laennec, Paris, France.
I
I
Brocheriou
F
F
Carnot
J
J
Briere
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D013945:Thymoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology
D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2