title: Immunihistochemical detection of Bcl-2 in AIDS-associated and classical Kaposi's sarcoma.
abstract: Kaposi's Sarcoma (KS) is an angioproliferative disease that is characterized by proliferation of spindle-shaped cells predominantly of vascular endothelial cell origin, neoangiogenesis, inflammatory cell infiltration, and edema. Although the lesions of classical KS and AIDS-associated KS (AIDS-KS) share common histological features, AIDS-KS occurs at a markedly higher frequency with a more aggressive clinical course. Immunohistochemical analyses of 26 evolutionarily staged AIDS-KS lesions derived from HIV-infected patients demonstrate significant cytoplasmic levels of Bcl-2, a protooncogene known to prolong cellular viability and to antagonize apoptosis. Bcl-2 expression increases as the pathological stage of KS advances. Immunohistochemical analyses of classical KS lesions demonstrate prevalent expression of Bcl-2 as well, indicating that upregulation of Bcl-2 may be important in the pathogenesis of both classical and AIDS-associated KS. Coexpression of Bcl-2 and factor VIII-related antigen in spindle-shaped cells present within KS lesions suggests that Bcl-2 is upregulated within the vascular endothelial spindle-shaped cells of KS. The consequences of upregulated Bcl-2 expression within KS lesions may be prolonged spindle cell viability which, when coupled with dysregulated cellular proliferation due in part to synergistic activities of inflammatory and angiogenic cytokines and HIV-1 Tat protein, may result in the maintenance, growth, and progression of KS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University Medical Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gendelman
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Marrogi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lockyer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Alperin-Lea
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ensoli
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005169:Factor VIII / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D005169:Factor VIII