title: Upregulation of Bcl-2 in nasal polyps from patients with cystic fibrosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nasal polyps in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are believed to be phenotypically different than polyps affecting non-CF patients. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in cell cycle regulatory mechanisms between these 2 groups. In this prospective study at a tertiary care academic medical center, multiple techniques were used to confirm the upregulation of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins in CF polyps.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nasal polyps were prospectively obtained from CF and non-CF patients. The Sigma Panorama Protein Microarray for Cell Signaling was used to identify differences in protein expression between the 2 polyp groups. Western blot analysis confirmed altered expression of a subset of these proteins. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on archived tissue to further investigate B-cell lymphoma 2 protein (Bcl-2) expression. Following review by a pathologist, slides were digitized using an Aperio™ ScanScope XT system and staining intensity was quantified with the Positive Pixel Count algorithm. The mean staining intensity for each polyp group was compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The protein microarray suggested a greater than 2-fold upregulation of Bcl-xl in CF polyps relative to non-CF polyps. Western blot analysis confirmed the upregulation in CF polyps of Bcl-2, a more commonly studied protein analog of Bcl-xl. The CF polyp group was noted to have a higher quantitative intensity of immunohistochemical staining for Bcl-2 compared to the non-CF group (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Through multiple modalities of protein investigation, we have demonstrated an upregulation of Bcl-2 family proteins in CF polyps relative to polyps from non-CF patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
authors.forename: Victor I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Scapa
authors.forename: Vijay R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Ramakrishnan
authors.forename: Todd T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Kingdom
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015854:Up-Regulation; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051020:bcl-X Protein