Bcl-2 positivity in B and C hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinomas.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to investigate the expression of bcl-2 in the chronic hepatitis B, C and hepatocellular carcinoma.


METHODS
In this study, 23 chronic hepatitis C, 17 chronic hepatitis B and 29 hepatocellular carcinoma cases were examined. Liver biopsies have been immunohistochemically stained for the expression of bcl-2. Positive staining was semi-quantitatively graded from + to +++.


RESULTS
Two out of 23 hepatitis C cases and 3 out of 17 hepatitis B cases were found to express bcl-2, staining was more intense in areas adjacent to active inflammatory process. Of the 29 hepatocellular carcinoma cases 6 stained positively for bcl-2; 9 biopsies in this group had also non-neoplastic liver tissue, and, of these 6 stained positively for bcl-2. Of the latter 6 bcl-2 positive biopsies 3 also showed tumoral staining while in the remaining 3, neoplastic elements were bcl-2 negative.


CONCLUSIONS
As the present study is a cross-sectional study, no causative relation between bcl-2 positivity and hepatocellular carcinoma can be implied, however high incidence of bcl-2 activity in the non-neoplastic liver parenchyma of the HCC cases suggest that bcl-2 activation may be involved in the development of at least some cases of hepatocellular carcinoma. Case control and/or prospective studies are needed to show whether bcl-2 positivity in a chronic hepatitis case has a predictive value for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Yildiz
Levent
L
Ondokuz Mayis University, Medical School, Department of Pathology, Samsun, Turkey. leventy@omu.edu.tr
Baris
Sancar
S
Aydin
Oguz
O
Kefeli
Mehmet
M
Kandemir
Bedri
B
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*
D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2