title: Expression of the apoptosis-related oncogenes bcl-2, bax, and p53 in Merkel cell carcinoma: can they predict treatment response and clinical outcome?
abstract: Chemotherapy and radiation therapy act predominantly through the induction of apoptosis in malignancies. Merkel cell carcinoma, an aggressive malignancy with prominent apoptosis, has proved to be sensitive to both modes to a certain degree. We used immunohistochemical methods to examine 25 Merkel cell carcinomas and 8 of their lymph node metastases to assess the status of the antiapoptotic gene bcl-2 and 2 proapoptotic genes, wild-type p53 and bax. All tumors showed prominent bax immunopositivity; 76% were positive for bcl-2, and only 28% were positive for p53, the latter presumably reflecting mutated p53. No statistically significant relationship was found between tumor immunopositivity and therapy response or survival. The widespread bax immunopositivity and the apparently low rate of p53 mutations, as suggested by the low rate of p53 immunopositivity, may be related to the presence of prominent apoptosis in Merkel cell carcinoma. The finding of bcl-2 immunopositivity in 76% of the tumors suggests that some of the tumor cells may be resistant to apoptosis-inducing agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Rabin Medical Center, Petah, Tiqva, Israel.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Feinmesser
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Halpern
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fenig
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tsabari
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hodak
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sulkes
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brenner
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Okon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017209:Apoptosis; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
chemical_list: C494826:BAX protein, human; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein