title: Bcl-2 and Fas expression in peripheral blood leukocytes of patients with alcoholic and autoimmune liver disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This article is devoted to the inquiry of three diseases of the liver: alcoholic liver disease (ALD), primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). The aim of the study was to assess the changes in populations of circulating lymphocytes expressing antiapoptotic bcl-2 molecule and proapoptotic Fas (cluster of differentiation 95(CD95)) receptor in patients with ALD, AIH, and PBC.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population consisted of 110 patients with ALD (n = 50), PBC (n = 30), and AIH (n = 30) and age-matched healthy volunteers (n = 25). Peripheral blood lymphocytes were isolated, stained with monoclonal antibodies against CD4, CD8, and CD19 antigen; intracellular bcl-2; and surface Fas receptor (CD95) antigens, and estimated using the flow cytometric method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bcl-2 expression was the highest in CD4+ and CD19+ T lymphocytes in ALD; however, only the differences in median/mean fluorescence intensity values of CD4+bcl-2+ lymphocytes between ALD and PBC group and CD19+bcl-2+ between ALD and PBC groups were statistically significant, indicating the different role of B cells in pathology of ALD and PBC. In contrast to that, statistically significant higher percentage of CD4+, CD8+, and CD19+ bearing Fas receptor in all groups of patients with liver diseases in comparison with the control subjects were estimated. The highest expression of Fas in CD4+ lymphocytes in ALD and in CD8+ cells of PBC and AIH groups were detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low expression of bcl-2 molecule and high expression of Fas in peripheral blood lymphocytes indicate significant dysregulation of apoptotic mechanisms not only in the liver but also in peripheral blood lymphocytes in all examined groups, especially in ALD group.
authors.affiliation: Chair of Internal Medicine and Department of Internal Medicine in Nursing, Medical University of Lublin, Poland zwolakag@wp.pl.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zwolak
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Surdacka
authors.affiliation: Chair of Internal Medicine and Department of Internal Medicine in Nursing, Medical University of Lublin, Poland Department and Clinic of Gastroenterology, Medical University of Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Daniluk
mesh_terms: D018941:Antigens, CD19 / Q000276:immunology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D019693:Hepatitis, Autoimmune / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018941:Antigens, CD19; C000595707:BCL2 protein, human; C000604811:CD19 molecule, human; C491901:FAS protein, human; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D019014:fas Receptor
keywords: Alcoholic liver disease; FasR; autoimmune hepatitis; bcl-2; blood lymphocytes; primary biliary cirrhosis