title: [Expression of bcl-2 and bax protein in uterine leiomyosarcomas and leiomyomas].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the expression and significance of the apoptosis regulatory protein bcl-2 and bax in uterine leiomyosarcomas and uterine leiomyomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of bcl-2 and bax were examined by immunohistochemical ABC staining with specific antibodies in 34 cases of uterine leiomyosarcomas (18 cases in stage I , 1 in stage II , 8 in stage III, and 7 in stage IV ), 34 uterine leiomyomas and 34 normal myometrium samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bcl-2 expression was higher in uterine leiomyomas than that in normal myometrium and in uterine leiomyosarcoma (P < 0.01 ); bcl-2 expression in uterine leiomyosarcoma was higher than that in normal myometrium (P < 0.05). Bax expression in normal myometrium was higher than that in leiomyomas and in uterine leiomyosarcoma (P < 0.01). There was no obvious difference in bax expression between leiomyomas and leiomyosarcoma (P > 0.05). Both the expressions of bcl-2 and bax proteins in stage I - II were higher than those of in stage III - IV (P < 0.01). The bcl-2 positive leiomyosarcoma has a favorable clinical outcome than that of bcl-2 negative.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The imbalance between the expression of bcl-2 and bax may play a certain role in the genesis of the uterine leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas. Bcl-2 and bax may be involved in the early stage of the tumor genesis of uterine leiomyosarcoma. Bcl-2 might correlate with the prognosis of the uterine leiomyosarcoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China. zhangz199@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Zhi-ling
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jian-hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D007890:Leiomyosarcoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein