title: Bcl-2, bax, bcl-x(L) and bcl-x(S) expression in neoplastic and normal cervical tissue.
abstract: We simultaneously assessed bcl-2, bax, bcl-x(L) and bcl-x(S) expression levels by Western blotting on 53 primary untreated cervical cancers and 15 normal samples. Bcl-2 showed a trend to be lower in neoplastic than in normal samples (P<0.01), while no significant difference was observed for bax and bcl-x(L). Bcl-x(S) was barely detectable in only a few samples. Interestingly, in cervical cancer, bcl-2 and bcl-x(L) were directly correlated (P<0. 01). A significant association of bcl-2 levels with age (P<0.021) and menopausal status (P<0.041) in cervical cancer patients as well as in control patients was observed. Bcl-2, bax and bcl-x(L) levels in responding and non-responding patients were not differently distributed. Bcl-2, bax and bcl-x(L) are likely to play a role in the natural history of cervical tumors, but their clinical significance in predicting response to treatment and clinical outcome needs long-term follow-up studies.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Antineoplastic Pharmacology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Catholic University, L.go Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferrandina
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mozzetti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marone
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fagotti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Macchia
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mancuso
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scambia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000378:metabolism*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein
chemical_list: C494826:BAX protein, human; C494811:BCL2L1 protein, human; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein