title: Expression of bcl-2 protein in distinguishing benign from malignant lymphoid aggregates in bone marrow biopsies.
abstract: In this study, the immunohistochemical expression of bcl-2 protein in benign and malignant lymphoid aggregates in bone marrow biopsies was investigated in order to estimate its significance in distinguishing the biologic nature of the aggregates. Paraffin-embedded tissues of 46 bone marrow biopsies were stained with a monoclonal antibody to bcl-2 protein using the supersensitive streptavidin biotin immunoperoxidase method after a microwave heating of the sections. Bcl-2 protein immunoreactivity was observed in various proportions of lymphoid cells in both reactive and malignant lymphoid bone marrow aggregates. The percentage of bcl-2 positive cells in malignant aggregates was substantially higher (mean value 78%) than that observed in reactive nodules (mean value 60%). The presence of bcl-2 protein has been confirmed both in malignant and benign bone marrow lymphoid aggregates. Thus, the bcl-2 protein expression should not be used as a discriminating criterion for the malignant nature of lymphoid aggregates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Medical Faculty of Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fakan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skálová
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuntscherová
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000737:chemistry*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2