title: bcl-2 expression in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas is not associated with bcl-2 gene rearrangements.
abstract: Previous reports have associated bcl-2 gene rearrangements found in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas with an inappropriately elevated bcl-2 expression compared with the mature B-cell stage of development. This study investigates bcl-2 expression in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) without bcl-2 gene rearrangements. Molecular analysis in 168 patients with NHL revealed 45 patients without bcl-2 gene rearrangements in which additional immunostaining for bcl-2 protein was possible. An unexpectedly high prevalence (39/45) of bcl-2 expression was found. The levels and patterns of bcl-2 expression were not specific for the histological type of NHL and were similar to those shown in comparable cases with bcl-2 gene rearrangements. In conclusion, bcl-2 expression is not specific for NHL bearing bcl-2 gene rearrangements. This finding implicates the existence of other deregulating control mechanisms of bcl-2 expression, more important than bcl-2 gene rearrangements.
authors.affiliation: III Medical Clinic and the Institute of Pathology, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany. imo.georgios.papakonstantinou@klinikumvs.de
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Papakonstantinou
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Verbeke
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hastka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bohrer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hehlmann
mesh_terms: D001345:Autoradiography; D002883:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18; D015870:Gene Expression; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D019254:Genes, bcl-2; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000235:genetics*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
chemical_list: D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2