Apoptosis, bcl-2 expression, and p53 expression in gastrointestinal stromal/smooth muscle tumors.
The authors investigated the relations between outcome and apoptosis, immunohistochemical demonstration of bcl-2 protein, and immunohistochemical staining for p53 protein in patients with gastrointestinal stromal/smooth muscle tumors (GIST). Patients whose tumors demonstrated cellular apoptosis using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated 2'-deoxyuridine 5'-triphosphate-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay had an improved survival over those whose tumors did not improve. In contrast, patients whose tumors demonstrated staining for bcl-2 protein had a decreased survival compared with those whose tumors did not demonstrate bcl-2. There was no relation between p53 immunoreactivity and survival. These results suggest that inhibition of apoptosis may be associated with malignant behavior in patients with gastrointestinal stromal/smooth muscle tumors.
Cunningham
R E
RE
Department of Cellular Pathology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, District of Columbia 20306-6000, USA.
Abbondanzo
S L
SL
Chu
W S
WS
Emory
T S
TS
Sobin
L H
LH
O'Leary
T J
TJ
D017209:Apoptosis; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007890:Leiomyosarcoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008940:Mitotic Index; D009372:Neoplasms, Connective Tissue / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009379:Neoplasms, Muscle Tissue / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism*
D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53