title: Expression of bcl-2 family members in malignant pleural mesothelioma.
abstract: Little is known about the Bcl-2 family members in mesothelioma. These proteins are involved in the control of apoptosis, carrying out both pro- and anti- apoptotic functions. Immunohistochemistry was used to examine the expression of p53 and Bcl-2 family members in 54 archival mesothelioma samples (39 epithelial, 15 sarcomatoid tumours). Overexpression of p53 was observed in 81% (44/54). For anti-apoptotic proteins, overexpression was recorded as follows: Bcl-2 40% (22/54), Bcl-XL 24% (13/54), Mcl-1 92% (50/54). For pro-apoptotic proteins, loss of expression was recorded as follows: Bad 25% (14/54), Bak 24% (13/54), Bax 42% (23/54), Bid 37% (20/54), Bim 18% (10/54). Statistically significant differences between epithelial and sarcomatoid tumours were observed for Bid (p < 0.001), Bad (p = 0.012) and Bcl-XL (p = 0.03). Significant differences in abnormal expression of apoptosis proteins were found between epithelial and sarcomatoid subtypes but histological subtype was the only factor with significant association to patient prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Medical Institute of the University of Hull and Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, UK.
authors.forename: Sara L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: O'Kane
authors.forename: Rachelle J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Pound
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Nilanjan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chaudhuri
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lind
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cawkwell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis; D051023:BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C494772:BAK1 protein, human; C494826:BAX protein, human; C494811:BCL2L1 protein, human; D051023:BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein; C494814:BID protein, human; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein