title: Expression of Bcl-2 and the antiapoptotic BAG family proteins in ovarian cancer.
abstract: In epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), literature on the prognostic value of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) is limited and inconsistent. Little is known about the expression patterns and the prognostic value of prosurvival proteins of the Bcl-2-associated athanogene (BAG) family proteins interacting with Bcl-2. The major aim of this study was to further define the expression pattern and the prognostic role of Bcl-2 together with BAG-1, BAG-3, and BAG-4 proteins in EOC patients receiving platinum/taxane-based chemotherapy. A tissue array was constructed comprising 63 EOC patients. The expression and the prognostic value of Bcl-2, BAG-1, BAG-3, and BAG-4 in EOC were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and multivariate analysis. A positive cytoplasmic staining for Bcl-2 was observed in 23.8% of EOC samples and in all histologic subtypes. BAG-1, BAG-3, and BAG-4 were detected in tumor cell nuclei and cytoplasm. Interestingly, all patients presenting with a positive Bcl-2 staining showed additional positive nuclear and cytoplasmic BAG-4 expression (P=0.014). Expression of Bcl-2, or the BAG family proteins, independent of nuclear or cytoplasmic localization, had no significant impact on either disease-free or overall survival, both in univariate and multivariate survival analyses with the limitation of a small cohort of cases. In this study, no association between Bcl-2 expression in EOC tumor tissue and prognosis was found. Similarly, nuclear and cytoplasmic expression of the prosurvival proteins of the BAG family had no significant impact on patients' outcome.
authors: Departments of *Gynaecology and Gynaecological Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center †Pathology, Medical University of Vienna ‡Department of Gynaecology and Gynaecological Oncology, Hietzing Hospital, Vienna, Austria.
authors: Stefanie
authors: S
authors: Aust
authors: Sophie
authors: S
authors: Pils
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Polterauer
authors: Reinhard
authors: R
authors: Horvat
authors: Dan
authors: D
authors: Cacsire Castillo-Tong
authors: Dietmar
authors: D
authors: Pils
authors: Grazyna
authors: G
authors: Dudek
authors: Bernd
authors: B
authors: Schmid
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Speiser
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Reinthaller
authors: Christoph
authors: C
authors: Grimm
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000235:genetics*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001952:Bridged-Ring Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077216:Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D010984:Platinum / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D043823:Taxoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C414431:BAG3 protein, human; C116906:BAG4 protein, human; C091732:BCL2-associated athanogene 1 protein; D001952:Bridged-Ring Compounds; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D043823:Taxoids; D014157:Transcription Factors; C080625:taxane; D010984:Platinum