Detection of bcl-2 and bax expression and bcl-2/JH fusion gene in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between bcl-2 gene and its related protein bax and intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCC).


METHODS
Semi-nested in situ PCR (SNISPCR) and immunohistochemistry were performed to detect bcl-2/JH fusion gene and bcl-2, bax protein expression in 29 cases of CCC.


RESULTS
No bcl-2/JH fusion gene was found in all cases of CCC, 72.4% of 29 cases expressed bcl-2 protein. Bcl-2 protein expression was related to histopathological grades (P<0.05). There was no corresponding relationship between bcl-2/JH fusion gene formation and bcl-2 protein expression in CCC (P<0.05). Bax was expressed in 10.3% of 29 cases. The ratio of bcl-2 to bax in normal liver tissues (3.5 to 1) was different from that in tumor tissues (7.0 to 1).


CONCLUSIONS
It is suggested that bcl-2/JH fusion gene formation is not a frequent event and may not play an important role in the pathogenesis of CCC. However, aberrant ratio of bcl-2 to bax protein expression may be involved in the course of tumorigenesis of CCC. Abnormal bcl-2 protein expression may not be solely resulted from bcl-2/JH fusion gene.
Department of Pathology, Zhujiang Hospital, Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong Province, China. linlangg@yahoo.com
Lin-Lang
LL
Guo
Sha
S
Xiao
Ying
Y
Guo
D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
C494826:BAX protein, human; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein