Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P10415 (Bcl-2)
33,771 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is typically a slow-growing malignant tumour, composed of cells similar to those in the basal area of the epidermis. We investigated the expression of bcl-2 (B-cell leukaemia/lymphoma-2) in BCC, and also in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the skin. The proto-oncogene bcl-2 encodes a protein which inhibits programmed cell death (apoptosis). The protein is expressed in basal cells in normal human epithelium, but not in the suprabasal cell layers. Immunohistochemical localization using a monoclonal anti-Bcl-2 antibody revealed bcl-2 expression in all the BCCs (15 patients). SCCs did not express bcl-2 (five patients). The positive Bcl-2 staining of BCC tumour cells supports the hypothesis that BCCs originate from the basal layer of the epidermis. The bcl-2 expression of BCC tumour cells also suggests a neoplastic transformation caused by extended cell survival rather than increased cell proliferation. This type of neoplastic growth is possibly associated with less aggressive tumour behaviour.
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PMID:Expression of the apoptosis-suppressing protein Bcl-2 in non-melanoma skin cancer. 777 78

There is increasing evidence that cell cycle transit is potentially lethal, with survival depending on the activation of metabolic pathways which block apoptosis. However, the identities of those pathways coupling cell cycle transit to survival remain undefined. Here we show that the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) can mediate both proliferative and survival signaling. Overexpression of eIF4E completely substituted for serum or individual growth factors in preserving the viability of established NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. An eIF4E mutant (Ser-53 changed to Ala) defective in mediating its growth-factor-regulated functions was also defective in its survival signaling. Survival signaling by enforced expression of eIF4E did not result from autocrine release of survival factors, nor did it lead to increased expression of the apoptosis antagonists Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL. In addition, the execution apparatus of the apoptotic response in eIF4E-overexpressing cells was found to be intact. Increased expression of eIF4E was sufficient to inhibit apoptosis in serum-restricted primary fibroblasts with enforced expression of Myc. In contrast, activation of Ha-Ras, which is required for eIF4E proliferative signaling, did not suppress Myc-induced apoptosis. These data suggest that the eIF4E-activated pathways leading to survival and cell cycle progression are distinct. This dual signaling of proliferation and survival might be the basis for the potency of eIF4E as an inducer of neoplastic transformation.
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PMID:Translational control of programmed cell death: eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E blocks apoptosis in growth-factor-restricted fibroblasts with physiologically expressed or deregulated Myc. 888 86

Thirty-one cases of small cell lung carcinomas (SCLC) were investigated by immunohistochemistry for the expression of bcl-2, p53 and the wild-type (wt) p53- induced proteins mdm2 and p21/waf1. Bcl-2 protein was detected in 24/31 cases of SCLC(77%) and p53 protein in 13/31 cases (42%). No correlation was found between histological subtype of SCLC and bcl-2 or p53 expression. Comparison between bcl-2 and p53 expression showed that 14/31 cases (45%) were only bcl-2 positive, 3/31 (11%) were only p53 positive, 10/31 (32%) were positive for both proteins and 4/31 (13%) were negative for both proteins. Mdm2 protein was detected in 2/32 SCLC which were also p53 positive. P21 protein was detected in 6/32 SCLC. Four of the p21 positive SCLC were negative for both p53 and mdm2, and two were positive for both p53 and mdm2 proteins. The significant expression of bcl-2 protein in SCLC suggests that bcl-2 may be involved in the pathogenesis of most SCLC by inhibiting apoptosis during neoplastic transformation. The expression of p53 protein in SCLC is likely to be related to underlying p53 gene mutations since these genetic alterations are very frequent in SCLC. This can be supported by our findings that 11/13 p53 positive SCLC were mdm2 and p21 negative. The two cases with p53+/mdm2+/p21+ phenotype may represent tumours with wt p53 gene and p53 protein immunoexpression due to binding to mdm2 protein. The four cases with p53-/mdm2-/p21+ phenotype may represent tumours with p53-independent p21 protein expression. Coexpression of p53 and bcl-2 proteins in a proportion of SCLC suggests that in these tumours p53 doses not maintain its suppressive effect on bcl-2 expression as it has been reported in vitro. Further studies at DNA and RNA level are required to clarify the involvement of bcl-2, p53, mdm2 and waf1 genes in SCLC pathogenesis.
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PMID:Immunohistochemical detection of bcl2, p53, mdm2 and p21/waf1 proteins in small-cell lung carcinomas. 961 83

Thirty-one cases of small cell lung carcinomas (SCLC) were investigated by immunohistochemistry for the expression of bcl-2. P53 and the wild-type (wt) p53-induced proteins mdm2 and p21/waf1. Bcl-2 protein was detected in 24/31 cases of SCLC(77%) and p53 protein in 13/31 cases (42%). No correlation was found between histological subtype of SCLC and bcl-2 or p53 expression. Comparison between bcl-2 and p53 expression showed that 14/31 cases (45%) were only bcl-2 positive, 3/31 (11%) were only p53 positive, 10/31 (32%) were positive for both proteins and 4/31 (13%) were negative for both proteins. Mdm2 protein was detected in 2/32 SCLC which were also p53 positive. P21 protein was detected in 6/32 SCLC. Four of the p21 positive SCLC were negative for both p53 and mdm2, and two were positive for both p53 and mdm2 proteins. The significant expression of bcl-2 protein in SCLC suggests that bcl-2 may be involved in the pathogenesis of most SCLC by inhibiting apoptosis during neoplastic transformation. The expression of p53 protein in SCLC is likely to be related to underlying p53 gene mutations since these genetic alterations are very frequent in SCLC. This can be supported by our findings that 11/13 p53 positive SCLC were mdm2 and p21 negative. The two cases with p53+/mdm2+/p21+ phenotype may represent tumours with wt p53 gene and p53 protein immunoexpression due to binding to mdm2 protein. The four cases with p53-/mdm2-/p21+ phenotype may represent tumours with p53-independent p21 protein expression. Coexpression of p53 and bcl-2 proteins in a proportion of SCLC suggests that in these tumours p53 does not maintain its suppressive effect on bcl-2 expression as has been reported in vitro. Further studies at the DNA and RNA level are required to clarify the involvement of bcl-2, p53, mdm2 and wafl genes in SCLC pathogenesis.
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PMID:Immunohistochemical detection of bcl2, p53, mdm2 and p21/waf1 proteins in small-cell lung carcinomas. 967 91

To analyze relevant factors of neoplastic transformation in oncocytic neoplasms of the thyroid, expression of p53, Ki-67, and bcl-2 has been studied in oncocytic carcinomas (n = 17) and compared with results obtained in oncocytic adenomas (n = 20). P53 protein accumulation was found immunohistochemically in 75% of the oncocytic adenomas (15 of 20) and 88% of the oncocytic carcinomas (15 of 17). Eight of 17 of the carcinomas (47%), but only 3 of the 20 adenomas (15%), showed nuclear p53 accumulation in more than 10% of the cells, mostly in a focal pattern. Ki-67 expression also differed significantly between adenomas and carcinomas. The median of Ki-67-positive cells was 12/10 high-power fields (HPF) for adenomas and 76/10 HPF for carcinomas (P < .001). Furthermore, metastatic carcinomas had a significantly higher Ki-67 positivity than nonmetastasized carcinomas (164/10 HPF v 42/10 HPF, P < .05). Bcl-2 immunohistochemistry showed a constantly positive reaction in normal thyroid tissue. In contrast, bcl-2 protein was not detected in most of the adenomas (70%) and carcinomas (76%). In conclusion, p53 protein and Ki-67 is more prevalent in oncocytic carcinomas than in oncocytic adenomas of the thyroid, indicating that these factors may be involved in the progression of oncocytic neoplasms in the thyroid. In contrast, loss of bcl-2 appears to be an early event in the formation of oncocytic neoplasms of the thyroid. Its importance for malignant transformation is, however, unclear.
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PMID:Immunoreactivity of p53, Ki-67, and Bcl-2 in oncocytic adenomas and carcinomas of the thyroid gland. 1045 98

Proliferation in the setting of longstanding chronic inflammation appears to predispose to carcinoma in the liver, large bowel, urinary bladder, and gastric mucosa. Focal prostatic atrophy, which is associated with chronic inflammation, is highly proliferative (Ruska et al, Am J Surg Pathol 1998, 22:1073-1077); thus the focus of this study was to more fully characterize the phenotype of the atrophic cells to assess the feasibility of the proposal that they may be targets of neoplastic transformation. The pi-class glutathione S-transferase (GSTP1), a carcinogen-detoxifying enzyme, is not expressed in >90% of prostate carcinomas (CaPs). GSTP1 promoter hypermethylation, which appears to permanently silence transcription, is the most frequently detected genomic alteration in CaP (Lee et al, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1994, 91:11733-11737; >90% of cases). In high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), this alteration is present in at least 70% of cases (Brooks et al, Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 1998, 7:531-536). Although normal-appearing prostate secretory cells rarely express GSTP1, they remain capable of expression, inasmuch as GSTP1 promoter hypermethylation is not detected in normal prostate. Fifty-five lesions from paraffin-embedded prostatectomy specimens (n = 42) were stained for GSTP1, using immunohistochemistry. Adjacent sections were stained for p27(Kip1), Ki-67, androgen receptor (AR), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), prostate-specific acid phosphatase (PSAP), Bcl-2, and basal cell-specific cytokeratins (34betaE12). With normal prostate epithelium as the internal standard, staining was scored for each marker in the atrophic epithelium. The lesions showed two cell types, basal cells staining positive for 34betaE12, and atrophic secretory-type cells staining weakly negative for 34betaE12. All lesions showed elevated levels of Bcl-2 in many of the secretory-type cells. All lesions had an elevated staining index for the proliferation marker Ki-67 in the secretory layer and decreased expression of p27(Kip1), a finding reminiscent of high-grade PIN (De Marzo et al, Am J Pathol 1998, 153:911-919). Consistent with partial secretory cell differentiation, the luminal cells showed weak to moderate staining for androgen receptor and the secretory proteins PSA and PSAP. All atrophic lesions showed elevated GSTP1 expression in many of the luminal secretory-type cells. Because all lesions are hyperproliferative, are associated with inflammation, and have the distinct morphological appearance recognized as prostatic atrophy, we suggest the term "proliferative inflammatory atrophy" (PIA). Elevated levels of GSTP1 may reflect its inducible nature in secretory cells, possibly in response to increased electrophile or oxidant stress. Elevated Bcl-2 expression may be responsible for the very low apoptotic rate in PIA and is consistent with the conclusion that PIA is a regenerative lesion. We discuss our proposal to integrate the atrophy and high-grade PIN hypotheses of prostate carcinogenesis by suggesting that atrophy may give rise to carcinoma either directly, as previously postulated, or indirectly by first developing into high-grade PIN.
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PMID:Proliferative inflammatory atrophy of the prostate: implications for prostatic carcinogenesis. 2017 14

Analysis of amino-terminus mutants of c-Myc has allowed a systematic study of the interrelationship between Myc's ability to regulate transcription and its apoptotic, proliferative, and transforming functions. First, we have found that c-Myc-accelerated apoptosis does not directly correlate with its ability to transactivate transcription using the endogenous ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) gene as readout for transactivation. Furthermore, deletion of the conserved c-Myc box I domain implicated in transactivation does not inhibit apoptosis. Second, the ability of c-Myc to repress transcription, using the gadd45 gene as a readout, correlates with its ability to accelerate apoptosis. A conserved region of c-Myc implicated in mediating transrepression is absolutely required for c-Myc-accelerated apoptosis. Third, a lymphoma-derived Thr58Ala mutation diminishes c-Myc-accelerated apoptosis through a decreased ability to induce the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria. This mutation in a potential phosphorylation site does not affect cell cycle progression, providing genetic evidence that induction of cell cycle progression and acceleration of apoptosis are two separable functions of c-Myc. Finally, we show that the increased ability of Thr58Ala mutant to elicit cellular transformation correlates with its diminished ability to accelerate apoptosis. Bcl-2 overexpression blocked and the lymphoma-associated Thr58Ala mutation decreased c-Myc-accelerated apoptosis, and both led to a significant increase in the ability of Rat1a cells to form colonies in soft agar. This enhanced transformation was greater in soft agar containing a low concentration of serum, suggesting that protection from apoptosis is a mechanism contributing to the increased ability of these cells to proliferate in suspension. Thus, we show here for the first time that, in addition to mutations in complementary antiapoptotic genes, c-Myc itself can acquire mutations that potentiate neoplastic transformation by affecting apoptosis independently of cell cycle progression.
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PMID:Induction of cell cycle progression and acceleration of apoptosis are two separable functions of c-Myc: transrepression correlates with acceleration of apoptosis. 1091 83

Apocrine metaplasia is considered to be a benign lesion of human mammary epithelium. However, it is not known how apocrine differentiation develops, and whether there is a relationship with particular subtypes of mammary carcinoma. In order to investigate cell turnover in apocrine metaplasia, apoptosis was detected by terminal transferase nick-end-labelling, and Ki-67 was used as proliferation marker. Bcl-2, Bax, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and c-erbB2-encoded protein were detected by immunohistochemistry. The proliferative activity was low (<1%). Frequency and intraepithelial localization of apoptotic cells resembled those of normal mammary epithelium. Bax immunostaining was inconstant and weak, and Bcl-2 was not detectable in apocrine metaplasia. Immunoreactivity of the c-erbB2 gene product was membrane-bound and showed a moderate to strong intensity, whereas staining for EGFR was weak and inconsistent. When compared with normal breast epithelium, apocrine metaplasia shows a regular cell turnover at a low rate, although the expression patterns of regulatory proteins are clearly altered. Our data suggest that changes in the expression of Bcl-2 or c-erbB2 protein do not result in a significant imbalance of apoptosis and proliferation, and thus should not be interpreted as indicator for increased risk of neoplastic transformation.
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PMID:Cell turnover in apocrine metaplasia of the human mammary gland epithelium: apoptosis, proliferation, and immunohistochemical detection of Bcl-2, Bax, EGFR, and c-erbB2 gene products. 1125 28

The oral cavity is continually exposed to various traumas due to the effect of thermal, mechanical and chemical stimuli, which when accompanied by inflammatory states may promote the growth of neoplastic changes. Numerous studies have revealed a correlation between the expression of p53 and Bcl-2 proteins and the progression of neoplastic disease. It cannot be excluded that these proteins act as biomarkers of a neoplastic transformation threatening in precancerous states (including leukoplakia) or the already existing neoplastic transformation (e.g. in oral squamous cell carcinoma). The aim of the study was to evaluate the expression of p53 and Bcl-2 proteins in the proliferating epithelium in relation to leukoplakia degree and with regard to the lesions accompanied and not accompanied by squamous cell carcinomas. Fifty-five cases of proliferating changes in the oral epithelium (leukoplakia) were investigated. Group I contained 20 leukoplakias not accompanied by oral squamous cell carcinomas. Groups II, III and IV included 35 cases of changes in the vicinity of carcinomas on the lower lip (group II), in the front 2/3 of the tongue (group III) and in the oral floor (group IV). Staining was performed according to the immunohistochemical method with the use of monoclonal antibodies against human p53 protein (DAKO No M7001) and Bcl-2 (DAKO No M0887). A higher expression of p53 protein (54%) was found in leukoplakia changes coexisting with squamous cell carcinomas, compared with the non-accompanied ones (p53--45%). The results indicate a correlation between epithelial dysplasia degree and p53 and Bcl-2 protein expression--severe dysplasia occurred with an increase in the expression of both proteins. Leukoplakias situated in the vicinity of squamous cell carcinomas showed higher expression of p53 and Bcl-2 compared with the non-accompanied alterations. A correlation was also revealed between the location and p53 and Bcl-2 protein expression degree in the non-accompanied changes; no such correlations were found in proliferating epithelial changes adjacent to neoplastic tumors.
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PMID:Evaluation of p53 and bcl-2 oncoprotein expression in precancerous lesions of the oral cavity. 1147

Deregulation of proliferation and apoptosis is known to contribute to neoplastic transformation and growth. Using specific antibodies for the cellular apoptosis susceptibility (CAS) gene, caspase-3, Bcl-2, and Bax, we examined the protein expression in 89 endometrial carcinomas and in 56 samples of nonneoplastic adjacent endometrium for comparison. Immunostaining results were scored with regard to approximate percentage of positive tumor cells (< 10%, 10% to 50%, > 50%) and relative immunostaining intensity (1+, 2+, 3+). In nonneoplastic endometrium, CAS protein was expressed in 70.6%, Bax in 64%, caspase-3 in 52%, and Bcl-2 in 87%. In neoplastic tissue, CAS was present in 93% of the tumors, Bax in 88%, caspase-3 in 77%, and Bcl-2 in 51%. Bcl-2:Bax ratio was > 1 in 9 cases (10%). In cases of atrophy (n = 24) and simple (n = 10) and complex (n = 22) hyperplasia in the adjacent endometrium, lower levels of expression compared with carcinoma were observed for CAS (p = 0.003), caspase-3 (p = 0.034), and Bax (p = 0.04) and higher levels for Bcl-2, although for this protein the results were not statistically significant (p = 0.32). There was no association between immunoscores and FIGO stage. High caspase-3 levels were seen in endometrioid tumor type (p = 0.017). CAS expression was higher in grade 3 tumors (p = 0.002) and older patients (p = 0.013). All tumors of younger patients (< 50 years) were Bcl-2 negative (p = 0.037). Caspase-3 correlated positively with CAS (p = 0.008), Bax (p = 0.04), and low Bcl-2:Bax ratio (p = 0.043), and inversely (as a trend) with Bcl-2 (p = 0.056). Survival analysis (Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression) established a strong association between prognosis and stage, grade, and histologic type (all p < or = 0.0036). In addition, shorter survival was observed for patients whose tumors contained > 50% of positive cells for caspase-3 (p = 0.024) or for CAS (p = 0.04). Age, Bcl-2, Bax, and Bcl-2:Bax ratio did not provide prognostic information. Our results suggest a role of CAS, Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3, which are apparently involved in the progressive deregulation of proliferation and apoptosis leading from simple and complex hyperplasia to carcinoma. In addition, CAS and caspase-3 protein levels may be useful markers in predicting the outcome of the patients.
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PMID:Cellular apoptosis susceptibility gene expression in endometrial carcinoma: correlation with Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 expression and outcome. 1160 20


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