title: Nuclear and cytoplasmic bcl-2 expression in endometrial hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma.
abstract: The bcl-2 proto-oncogene, which inhibits programmed cell death (apoptosis), has recently been found to be cyclically expressed in human endometrium. In order to investigate its role in endometrial hyperplasia and neoplasia, bcl-2 expression was studied in 25 cases of endometrial carcinoma and 20 cases of endometrial hyperplasia (eight simple, two complex, and ten atypical hyperplasias). Uniform intense cytoplasmic bcl-2 expression was found in all cases of non-atypical hyperplasia, and less strong positivity in eight out of ten cases of atypical hyperplasia. In well-differentiated carcinomas, nine out of ten showed weak to moderate bcl-2 expression, whereas six out of seven poorly differentiated carcinomas were bcl-2-negative. Moderately differentiated tumours were an intermediate group, with six out of eight being positive. Widespread localization of bcl-2 protein to the chromosomes of dividing cells was also demonstrated, regardless of cytoplasmic bcl-2 expression, with rare staining of interphase nuclei. Our findings suggest a role for bcl-2 in the natural history of endometrial neoplasia and studies are needed to determine its usefulness as a prognostic marker. The finding of bcl-2 localization to chromosomes has important implications for its mode and site of action.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histopathology, Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, U.K.
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Mole
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Levison
authors.forename: R Y
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.forename: Q L
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hanby
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D004714:Endometrial Hyperplasia / Q000378:metabolism*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000378:metabolism*; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
chemical_list: C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2