title: Glomerular expression and elevated serum Bcl-2 and Fas proteins in lupus nephritis: preliminary findings.
abstract: Programmed cell death (apoptosis) is involved in glomerular injuries leading to glomerulonephritis. Bcl-2 and Fas are proteins that promote cell survival and death, respectively. This study tests the hypothesis that lupus nephritis is associated with alterations of Bcl-2 and Fas protein expression. Thirty-six patients with lupus nephritis and 10 controls (normal individuals) were included in this study. Bcl-2 and Fas positive cells were examined in kidney biopsies by immunohistochemistry. Bcl-2 and Fas serum levels were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In the glomeruli of normal kidneys, Bcl-2 and Fas proteins were completely absent. In lupus nephritis patients, glomerular expression of Bcl-2 and Fas was seen in mesangial cells (1.3 +/- 0.1 and 2.0 +/- 0.1 for Bcl-2 and Fas, respectively). Similarly, a statistically significantly higher Bcl-2 (217.1 +/- 85.9) and Fas (767.9 +/- 271) serum levels were found in lupus patients compared to controls (148.6 +/- 87, 550.3 +/- 91 for Bcl-2 and Fas, P < 0.05). A direct correlation between serum Bcl-2 and Fas and chronicity index was also found. Compared to normal controls, lupus nephritis is associated with glomerular expression and elevated serum levels of Bcl-2 and Fas proteins. These findings suggest possible roles for Bcl-2 and Fas in glomerular injury during evolution of lupus nephritis. The diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic ramifications of our findings are open to further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine and Assuit University Hospitals, Assuit, Egypt.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Fathi
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hussein
authors.forename: H I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mosad
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Galal
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Afifi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000378:metabolism; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000097:blood; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D019014:fas Receptor