Bcl-2 associated athanogene-1 overexpression in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
Apoptosis and cell cycle regulation play an important role in pathogenesis and tumor progression in patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL). Bcl-2 associated athanogene-1 (BAG-1) is an antiapoptotic protein as well as a regulator of cell growth. There is no conclusive evidence about BAG-1 protein expression in this disease.



To investigate the expression level of BAG-1 protein in DLBCL.



Thirty patients diagnosed from 1997-2004, as having DLBCL, were selected. Also 30 normal lymph nodes were included as normal counterparts in this study. BAG-1 expression was determined by immunohistochemical staining in both DLBCL and normal lymph node samples.



Of the 30 DLBCLs examined, 100% were positive for nuclear and 83% were positive for cytoplasmic BAG-1 staining. Of the 30 normal lymph nodes investigated, 20% were positive for nuclear and 0% were positive for cytoplasmic BAG-1 staining. Nuclear staining in DLBCL samples was significantly higher than those of normal lymph nodes (100% versus 20%, p <0.001). Besides, cytoplasmic staining in DLBCL samples was significantly higher than those of normal lymph nodes (83% versus 0%, p <0.001). There was no association between BAG-1 staining and patients' overall survival.



Our data indicated that BAG-1 protein was deregulated in this disease similar to some other malignancies such as breast and colon cancer. Overexpression of BAG-1 in DLBCL suggests that this protein probably plays an important role in the pathogenesis of DLBCL. Besides, higher nuclear BAG-1 staining might be correlated with poor prognosis.
Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran. ataollahi@resident.mui.ac.ir
Mohammadreza
M
Ataollahi
Mansour
M
Salehi
Iman
I
Doostan
Zahra
Z
Kabiri
Mohammadreza
M
Mohajeri
Farzaneh
F
Mahmoodi
Raheleh
R
Shokouhi
Shadi
S
Javan
Mohammad Hassan
MH
Meshkibaf
Behnoosh
B
Miladpoor
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
C091732:BCL2-associated athanogene 1 protein; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors