title: Bcl-2 expression in mycosis fungoides before and after PUVA therapy.
abstract: PUVA is the first therapeutic choice in early stages of mycosis fungoides (MF). In this study the effect of PUVA on bcl-2 expression in MF was assessed in 15 patients (three stage Ia and 12 stage Ib) and 10 controls. Two biopsies were taken from each patient before and after 24 sessions of PUVA therapy. Histopathological assessment and immunohistochemical staining for bcl-2 was performed and showed positive bcl-2 staining of lymphocytes in 53% of MF cases (8/15) before PUVA, with no statistically significant difference in the bcl-2 level before and after PUVA therapy (P value 0.3). A statistically significant difference was found in the bcl-2 level between control samples and MF patients' biopsies before (P value 0.02) and after PUVA therapy (P value 0.011). In conclusion, a lack of decline in the bcl-2 level and the absence of clinical or histopathological correlation with the bcl-2 level before and after PUVA therapy in MF patients suggest that PUVA-induced apoptosis in MF cases may occur through pathways other than bcl-2 inhibition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Kasr El-Aini University Hospital, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hani
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weshahy
authors.forename: Doa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mahgoub
authors.forename: Nermine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: El-Eishy
authors.forename: Amira Mohamed
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: El-Tawdy
authors.forename: Dalia Ahmed
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bassiouny
authors.forename: Nahla
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hindawi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011701:PUVA Therapy; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2