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

In sarcoid granulomas, apoptotic events are reduced, which explains their characteristic long-lasting inflammation. We have described that interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) inhibits apoptosis in macrophages through the expression of p21(Waf1). Here, we explore the molecular mechanisms involved in the inhibition of apoptosis in sarcoid granulomas. We analyzed skin biopsies from 19 sarcoidosis patients and 16 controls. Total RNA was subjected to semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis. There was no difference found in the expression of proapoptotic (Bax and Bcl-X(s)) or antiapoptotic (Bcl-2 and Bcl-X(L)) genes nor in the expression of the tumor suppressor gene p53. Furthermore, the expression of IFN-gamma and the cdk inhibitors p21(Waf1) and p27(Kip1) were analyzed. IFN-gamma was detected in 37% of the sarcoidosis patients, and controls were negative (P<0.02). In addition, a higher proportion of patients expressing p21(Waf1) (58%) versus controls (12%) was found (P<0.005). There was a significant correlation between the expression of IFN-gamma and p21(Waf1) (r=0.69) and between p21(Waf1) and fibronectin (r=0.65). Finally, using immunohistochemistry, high p21(Waf1) reactivity was observed inside the granuloma. We conclude that the high levels of p21(Waf1) in sarcoidosis may explain the absence of apoptosis in the granuloma and the persistence of inflammation.
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PMID:High expression of p21 Waf1 in sarcoid granulomas: a putative role for long-lasting inflammation. 1288 47

Cigarette smoking enhances apoptosis rate of alveolar macrophages. However, little is known about the appearance and extension of apoptosis in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) lymphocytes originating from smoker individuals, both in pulmonary sarcoidosis (the disease characterized by lymphocytic alveolitis) and in controls. BAL was carried out in 60 nontreated patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis, subdivided acc. smoking status and in 22 control persons, free of any lung pathology. BAL (alveolar) lymphocytes were a) stained for TUNEL; b) permeabilized and stained with PI for late apoptosis/cell cycle analyses; c) immunophenotyped, including CD95, CD95 Ligand, Bcl-2, Bcl-XL, Bak and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) expression. BD FACSCalibure flow cytometer, PC Lysys and ModFit software were applied. The low number of AL entered apoptosis, which was confirmed by both techniques. Cigarette smokers were characterized by higher AL apoptosis percentage in respective subgroups (sarcoidosis: 0.6 +/- 0.13 in nonsmokers vs 0.9 +/- 0.23 in smokers; controls: 0.85 +/- 0.23 in nonsmokers vs 1.5 +/- 0.35 smokers, median +/- SEM, p < 0.05); the proliferation rate was lower. Decreased IGF-I expression in AL of sarcoidosis smokers was observed (13.5 +/- 9.2 vs 46.0 +/- 6.0 in nonsmokers, p < 0.05). No differences were found between studied groups in expression of Bcl-2, Fas and FasL molecules (except significantly declined ratio of CD8+FasL+ cells in sarcoidosis nonsmokers). AL apoptosis rate was positively correlated with respective alveolar macrophage results (Rs = +0.59, p < 0.00001) and negatively with CD4/CD8 ratio (Rs = -0.32, p < 0.001); no correlation was found with lung function test results and with Bcl-2, Fas and FasL expression in BAL cells. Apoptosis of alveolar lymphocytes was more frequent in nonsmokers both in pulmonary sarcoidosis and in controls; lower AL percentage proliferates. These phenomena seem to participate in lower AL percentage, observed in smoker subgroup of sarcoidosis. Some mechanisms of local apoptosis alterations in smokers may be common for alveolar lymphocytes and macrophages.
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PMID:[Apoptosis of alveolar lymphocytes in sarcoidosis and in control group is more frequent in smokers than in nonsmoking persons]. 1728 68