title: Immunohistochemical detection of bcl-2 protein in adenocarcinoma and non-neoplastic cellular compartments of the lung.
abstract: The expression of bcl-2 seems to influence the biologic activity of a variety of neoplasms. In this study, we examined bcl-2 protein expression in 47 surgically resected adenocarcinomas of the lung to determine its expression in the neoplastic and adjacent non-neoplastic cells. Seven squamous cell carcinomas, six small cell carcinomas, five non-neoplastic lung lesions, and five normal lungs were also studied. The bcl-2 protein was detected after antigen retrieval with bcl-2 monoclonal antibody using archival formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue material. Fifty-one of 52 cases had bronchioles that could be evaluated and all expressed bcl-2, and of these, 12 showed basal immunostaining, 17 showed luminal immunostaining, and 22 showed immunostaining in both cellular compartments. Thirty of the 47 adenocarcinomas expressed bcl-2, whereas four of seven squamous cell carcinomas and all six small cell carcinomas were bcl-2 positive. bcl-2 immunostaining was correlated with a survival using the Fisher exact test. There were no statistically significant differences in survival between patients with bcl-2-positive and bcl-2-negative adenocarcinomas (P = 0.332). Similar results were obtained using the Kaplan-Mier product limit survival analysis method (P = 0.356). Our study also showed that expression of bcl-2 is common in pulmonary adenocarcinomas and that bcl-2 expression may be found in the basal and the luminal surfaces of normal bronchioles.
authors: Department of Pathology, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester 01655-0235, USA.
authors: S K
authors: SK
authors: Rao
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Krishna
authors: B A
authors: BA
authors: Woda
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Savas
authors: A E
authors: AE
authors: Fraire
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001980:Bronchi / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008168:Lung / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2