title: Expressions of p53, c-MYC, BCL-2 and apoptotic index in human osteosarcoma and their correlations with prognosis of patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nowadays it remains a controversial issue whether a correlation exists between the apoptosis rate of tumor tissue and the prognosis of the patients. The aim of the study is to investigate the relationships of apoptotic genes and apoptotic index of osteosarcoma tissue to prognosis of the patients, meanwhile to explore the valid prognostic biomarkers of osteosarcoma that will enhance efficacy of clinical treatments for osteosarcoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  In our studies, the immunohistochemical ABC and terminal DNA breakpoints in situ 3-hydroxy end labeling (TUNEL) techniques were used to detect the expressions of p53, c-MYC, BCL-2 and apoptotic index in 56 osteosarcoma specimens. The relationships between apoptotic genes expression and apoptotic index in osteosarcoma tissue and their correlations with pathologic classification and prognosis of osteosarcoma cases were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that the expressions of p53, c-MYC, and BCL-2 were negatively correlated with apoptotic index of osteosarcoma tissue, were not correlated with pathological types of osteosarcoma, and were closely related to prognosis of the patients. Moreover, apoptotic index of osteosarcoma tissue was positively correlated with the long term survival of the patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We concluded that the expressions of p53, c-MYC, BCL-2 protein and apoptotic index could be used as potential biomarks for predicting the progression and prognosis of osteosarcoma, and for optimizing clinical treatments.
authors: Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, China. wuxinggood@163.com
authors: Xing
authors: X
authors: Wu
authors: Zheng-dong
authors: ZD
authors: Cai
authors: Lie-ming
authors: LM
authors: Lou
authors: Yan-bo
authors: YB
authors: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C489427:MYC protein, human; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; C495901:TP53 protein, human; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53