[The apoptosis and its relationship with the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and Bcl-2 proteins in prostate carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To study the relationship between the apoptosis and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and Bcl-2 in prostate carcinoma (PCa).


METHODS
Expression of Bcl-2 and iNOS and apoptotic cells in 24 cases of PCa, 15 cases of BPH and 5 cases of normal prostate tissues were detected by immunohistochemical technique and terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL), respectively.


RESULTS
Apoptosis index (AI) and iNOS-positive index of PCa were much higher than that of the benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and the normal prostate group(P < 0.01). The AI of the Bcl-2-positive group was lower than that of the negative ones in PCa(P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
AI might serve as a marker in evaluating the aggression of PCa. The iNOS-positive index of PCa had no relationship with the differentiated grades but had a negative relationship with the expression of Bcl-2. The expression of Bcl-2 protein was negatively related to PCa cell apoptosis. Both iNOS and Bcl-2 were believed to play roles in the pathogenesis and development of PCa by influencing the cell apoptosis.
Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China. xuking0322@sina.com
Ming
M
Xu
Shiwen
S
Li
Xinmin
X
Zheng
Liquan
L
Hu
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017209:Apoptosis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000032:analysis*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis*
D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; C496319:NOS2 protein, human; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II