[Apoptosis-antagonizing protein Bcl-2 expression, distribution in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and its clinical significance].
OBJECTIVE
Apoptosis-antagonizing protein Bcl-2 expression, distribution in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and its clinical significance were studied.


METHODS
Four-stage peroxidase antiperoxidase complex (PAP) method was applied to comparatively investigate the expression and distribution of Bcl-2 protein in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded lymph node tissue comprising 12 cases of reactive follicular hyperplasia and 71 cases of NHL.


RESULTS
(1) Bcl-2 protein was detected in 93.0% cases of NHL with T- or B-lymphocytic phenotype. (2) Bcl-2 protein was restricted in centrocytes but not in centroblasts in 8 of 9 cases of NHL stemed from germinal centers. (3) A significant increase in Bcl-2 protein expression was found in 5 of 10 cases of diffuse large B-lymphocytic NHL showing plasmacytoid differentiation. (4) In 7 cases of follicular NHL the neoplastic nodules were strongly labeled for Bcl-2 protein and only scattered positive cells were seen in its periphery; On the contrary, in reactive lymphoid follicles Bcl-2 protein was predominantly anchored in mantle zones whereas germinal center cells were unstained.


CONCLUSIONS
(1) Bcl-2 protein is expressed in NHL of T- or B-cell origin. (2) Bcl-2 protein expression appears to be associated with differentiation stages of NHL. (3) Immunohistochemical staining for Bcl-2 protein conduces to differentiate between reactive and neoplastic follicles.
Chen
X
X
Department of Hematology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an.
Huang
G
G
Wang
W
W
D017209:Apoptosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019310:Pseudolymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism
D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2