bl-2 [corrected] Expression on prostate cancer and its relationship to cell cycle and prognosis.
BACKGROUND
bcl-2 protein is an oncoprotein encoded by a protooncogene bcl-2 which is thought to be a key gene for the regulation of cell life and death. bcl-2 protein has been reported to be expressed in a subset of prostate cancers, and its biological role in this disease has not yet been elucidated. This present study focused on the cell cycle analysis of bcl-2 immunoreactivity in prostate tumor samples and correlated findings with the prognosis of the patients.


METHODS
Archival tissues from 37 prostate cancers were submitted for immunohistochemistry and DNA analysis via flow cytometry. All tissues were obtained before the patients received any treatment. Immunohistochemistry was performed using streptavidin biotin procedures, and DNA flow cytometry was done by a combination of two methods.


RESULTS
Fourteen of 37 prostate cancers (38%) exhibited bcl-2 immunoreactivity. bcl-2 positive prostate cancers significantly correlated with DNA aneuploidy and higher proliferation indices, but not with histological differentiation. Clinically, there was a poorer prognosis for patients with bcl-2 positive prostate cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data indicates that bcl-2 protein expression in prostate cancer is associated with cell proliferation and may serve as a predictive factor for the prognosis of prostate cancer.
Matsushima
H
H
Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Hosaka
Y
Y
Suzuki
M
M
Mizutani
T
T
Ishizuka
H
H
Kawabe
K
K
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002453:Cell Cycle; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D004247:DNA