title: Apoptosis in brain biopsies of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis patients.
abstract: Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is associated with inflammatory infiltration, neuronal loss, and demyelination. The pathogenesis of these changes is unclear. We examined DNA fragmentation and Bcl-2 expression in brain biopsies of nineteen SSPE patients to investigate the role of apoptosis in tissue damage. DNA fragmentation was present in oligodendroglia, and, in tissues with neuronal loss, in neurons. Reactive astrocytes had no DNA fragmentation, but strong Bcl-2 expression. These results suggest apoptosis as one of the mechanisms for oligodendroglial and neuronal death in SSPE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Neurology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Anlar
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Söylemezoğlu
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Elibol
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dalkara
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aysun
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Köse
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Belen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yalaz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D001706:Biopsy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013344:Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2