Study of bcl-2 protein expression and the apoptosis phenomenon in neuroblastoma.
BACKGROUND
Prognosis in neuroblastoma is based upon several clinical factors such as age, tumoral staging and other genetic factors like N-myc oncogene amplification or deletion of the short arm of chromosome 1 (del 1p). Recent reports indicate that bcl-2 protein expression is associated with a poor outcome in patients with neuroblastoma.


METHODS
We present a study of 80 cases from the files of the Spanish neuroblastoma study group (N-II-92) analysing bcl-2 protein expression by means of immunohistochemical methods and its relation with other parameters such as histopathology, PCNA expression, N-myc amplification and DNA study of apoptosis.


RESULTS
We found a statistical correlation between bcl-2 protein expression and unfavourable histopathology, N-myc amplification and PCNA nuclear staining. An inverse relation between bcl-2 staining and apoptosis was detected.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on present findings it can be concluded that the determination of bcl-2 protein provides prognostic information when associated with other biological factors involved in neuroblastomas.
Mejia
M C
MC
Department of Pathology, Medical School, University of Valencia, Spain. Maria.C.Mejia@uv.es
Navarro
S
S
Pellin
A
A
Castel
V
V
Llombart-Bosch
A
A
D017209:Apoptosis; D016259:Genes, myc; D006801:Humans; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2