Differential expression of Bax and Bcl-2 in the assessment of cellular dynamics in fine-needle samples of primary breast carcinomas.
The rates of cell proliferation and programmed cell death (apoptosis) reflect tumor cell dynamics and are considered to directly influence biological progression and tumor response to therapy. Bax and Bcl-2 are members of a gene family that influence apoptosis and have been used as surrogate markers in the evaluation of this process. Sixty-three fine-needle tumor samples from an equal number of patients with breast carcinomas were analyzed for Bax, Bcl-2, and DNA content by flow cytometry. The results were correlated with classical clinicopathological parameters. Bax values varied widely among tumors and showed no significant correlation with any of the clinicopathological parameters analyzed. Bcl-2 levels ranged from 4% to 91%, correlated positively with estrogen (P = 0.0004) and progesterone (P = 0.0045) receptor positivity, and were more associated with low S-phase tumor values. In contrast, high S-phase values correlated with estrogen receptor negativity, high grade, and DNA aneuploidy. The study results indicate that Bcl-2 and S-phase analysis of fine-needle samples of breast carcinomas provide a convenient tool for the assessment of these tumors.
Maciorowski
Z
Z
Department of Tumor Biology, Institut Curie, Paris, France. Zofia.Maciorowski@curie.net
Klijanienko
J
J
Padoy
E
E
Mosseri
V
V
Diéras
V
V
El-Naggar
A K
AK
Chevillard
S
S
Vielh
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
C494826:BAX protein, human; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein