title: Immunohistochemical assessment of apoptosis-associated proteins: p53, Bcl-xL, Bax and Bak in gastric cancer cells in correlation with clinical and pathomorphological factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The p53 protein as well as Bcl-2 family proteins such as Bax, Bak and Bcl-xL regulate apoptosis. The study objective was to analyze the expression of p53, Bak, Bcl-xL and Bax in gastric cancer and in healthy gastric mucosa.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group consisted of 66 patients with gastric cancer, treated surgically in II Department of General and Gastroenterological Surgery, Medical University of Bialystok. The expression of the studied proteins was assessed using the immunohistochemical method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences were found in the expressions of the studied proteins as compared to healthy gastric mucosa. The expressions of p53 and Bax were significantly higher (70% vs 13% and 50% vs 13%), whereas those of Bak and Bcl-xL significantly lower (18% vs 83% and 74% vs 97%) in cancer cells than in normal mucosa (p<0.001). Significant differences were also noted in the expressions of Bax and Bcl-xL in relation to histological type. In the intestinal type (Lauren I), the expressions of Bax and Bcl-xL were higher as compared to the diffuse type (Lauren II) (93% vs 43% and 91% vs 43%). Simultaneously, correlations were noted between changes in the expression of Bax vs Bcl-xL and Bak. High expression of Bax showed a positive correlation with reduced Bak and Bcl-xL (p<0.05). Moreover, positive expression of p53 caused poorer distant survival of patients (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study concluded that disturbances in the expression of p53, Bax, Bcl-xL and Bak proteins are associated with their involvement in the process of carcinogenesis in the stomach. It is suggesting that they might appeared in the early phase of carcinogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Gastroenterological Surgery, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland. mariusz_gryko@vp.pl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gryko
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pryczynicz
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Guzińska-Ustymowicz
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kamocki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zaręba
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kemona
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kędra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism*; D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein