title: Tissue microarray analysis of Fas and FasL expressions in human non-small cell lung carcinomas; with reference to the p53 and bcl-2 overexpressions.
abstract: Lack of surface Fas expression is a main route for apoptotic resistance which is considered an important mechanism of tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Fas and FasL expressions in 110 non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLCs) were investigated to evaluate their roles in pulmonary carcinogenesis and to examine the clinicopathologic significance of Fas expression with its relationship with p53 and bcl-2 overexpressions. Immunohistochemical analysis using tissue microarray demonstrated that a large proportion of NSCLC patients (60%) showed lack of membranous Fas expression. The Fas-negative cases revealed the significantly lower survival rate than Fas-positive ones. Also, the loss of Fas receptor expression was found more frequently in advanced stage and higher nodal status. FasL protein was increased in most NSCLCs (89%) compared to normal lungs. p53 and bcl-2 overexpressions showed no association with Fas expression. Conclusively, reduced membranous Fas expression as a mechanism of apoptotic resistance is considered to play an important part of the pulmonary carcinogenesis, which may predict poor survival and have a bad prognostic influence. Increased FasL expression is thought to be a basis for the immune evasion in NSCLCs. The rare bcl-2 overexpression suggests that this anti-apoptotic protein is unlikely to play a role in the apoptotic resistance of NSCLCs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea. myongnh@hanmail.net
authors.forename: Na-Hye
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Myong
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D002470:Cell Survival; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism*; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D019014:fas Receptor