Expression of Bcl-2 and amplification of c-myc are frequent in basaloid squamous cell carcinomas of the esophagus.
Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) of the esophagus is a rare, poorly differentiated variant of typical esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) characterized by high proliferative activity and frequent spontaneous apoptoses. In the present study, we investigated the expression of the apoptosis-suppressing protein Bcl-2 in 23 BSCC of the esophagus and 23 stage-matched typical esophageal SCC by means of immunohistochemistry. In addition, amplification of the apoptosis- and proliferation-inducing gene c-myc was determined by means of differential polymerase chain reaction. Bcl-2 expression was found significantly more often in BSCC than in SCC (86.9% vs. 17.4%, P < 0.0001). Amplification of c-myc was nearly twice as common in BSCC as in SCC (47.8% vs. 26.1%, not significant). Bcl-2 protein expression together with c-myc amplification was detected in 43.5% of the BSCC but in none of the typical SCC (P < 0.0001). Taken together, our findings indicate that the molecular pathogenesis of esophageal BSCC differs from that of typical SCC and frequently involves coactivation of c-myc and Bcl-2.
Sarbia
M
M
Institute of Pathology, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany. Sarbia@med.uni-duesseldorf.de
Loberg
C
C
Wolter
M
M
Arjumand
J
J
Heep
H
H
Reifenberger
G
G
Gabbert
H E
HE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002281:Carcinoma, Basosquamous / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D016259:Genes, myc / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2