[Clinical significance and expression of Bcl-2 protein in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the pathogenesis and clinical evaluation for expression of Bcl-2 in lymphocytes and renal tissues of 31 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).


METHODS
Bcl-2 protein levels in T, B cells and renal tissues were examined by two-colour cytofluorography, and immunohistochemical staining (LSAB method) respectively.


RESULTS
Compared with inactive SLE patients and normal controls, a proposition of T cells (including CD(3)(+), CD(4)(+) and CD(8)(+) subgroups) expressing Bcl-2 protein increased significantly in active SLE patients. However, Bcl-2 protein levels are not statistically different in CD(19)(+) B cells among all groups. Mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) levels of Bcl-2 protein on CD(3)(+) T cells was positively related to SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) among the SLE patients, which wasn't related to ESR, complement (C(3), C(4)) and autoantibody (ANA, anti-dsDNA, anti-Sm) positivity. The population of Bcl-2 positive intraglomerular cells was correlated significantly with the grade of mesangial cell increase and the number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) positive glomerular cells, and 24-hour urinary protein.


CONCLUSIONS
Overexpression of apoptosis-related Bcl-2 protein might play an important rule in the prolonged proliferation of mesangial cells and glomerular hypercellularity and in the active period of SLE patients, Bcl-2 expression levels of peripheral blood T lymphocytes might serve as an active index for SLE.
Liu
Y
Y
Division of Rheumatology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510080.
Yin
P
P
Zhao
X
X
Shi
C
C
Kong
Q
Q
Guan
W
W
D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism
D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2