Apoptosis and proliferative activity of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas: comparison with expression of bcl-2, p53 and c-myc proteins.
In order to clarify the role of spontaneous apoptosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in the growth regulation system, apoptotic indices (AI) assessed by DNA nick end-labeling and proliferative activity, estimated in terms of KI-67 labeling indices (KI) and mitotic indices (MI), were compared. In addition, expression of bcl-2, p53 and c-myc was also examined in relation to these indicators. For this study, 103 lymphoma cases were used, comprising 72 of B cell and 31 of T cell origin (42 nodal and 62 extranodal). AI, KI and MI were significantly increased in line with bcl-2 negativity and p53 positivity, and there was no relation to the T, B cell classification or expression of c-myc. These indicators positively correlated overall. Positive correlation was stricter in groups believed to represent a good prognostic predictive factor, such as B cell origin, bcl-2(+), p53(-) and c-myc(-). Significant cross-correlation was noted only between bcl-2 versus T, B cell classification. However, no inverse correlation between bcl-2 and p53 was evident. These results suggest, in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, that apoptosis plays an important role together with proliferative activity in counter-balancing tumor volume, and is strictly linked to bcl-2 expression, less so to p53 expression, but independent of T, B cell classification and c-myc expression. Apoptotic indices may be a predictive indicator for prognosis similar to proliferative activity.
Takano
Y
Y
Department of Pathology, Kitasato University, School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Japan.
Saegusa
M
M
Ikenaga
M
M
Okayasu
I
I
D017209:Apoptosis; D002455:Cell Division; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000145:classification; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000145:classification; D008940:Mitotic Index; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000378:metabolism*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism*
D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53