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Query: UNIPROT:P10415 (Bcl-2)
 33,771 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The survival of T lymphocytes is tightly controlled during development. Here, we show that Bcl-xL, a protein homologue of Bcl-2, is highly regulated in the thymus in a pattern different than that of Bcl-2. The maximum expression was in CD4+CD8+ thymocytes, a developmental stage where Bcl-2 is downregulated. To assess the role of Bcl-xL in thymocyte apoptosis, we generated mice overexpressing an E mu-bcl-x transgene within the T cell compartment. Constitutive expression of Bcl-xL resulted in accumulation of thymocytes and mature T cells in lymphoid organs. Thymocytes overexpressing Bcl-xL exhibited increased viability in vitro and were resistant to apoptosis induced by different signals, including glucocorticoid, gamma irradiation, calcium ionophore, and CD3 cross-linking. However, Bcl-xL was unable to block clonal deletion of thymocytes reactive with self-superantigens or H-Y antigen. These studies demonstrate that Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, two functionally related proteins, are regulated independently during T cell development. In contrast to Bcl-2, which has been implicated in the maintenance of mature T cells, Bcl-xL appears to provide a survival signal for the maintenance of more immature CD4+CD8+ thymocytes before positive selection.
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PMID:Bcl-XL displays restricted distribution during T cell development and inhibits multiple forms of apoptosis but not clonal deletion in transgenic mice. 750 43

Fas antigen (ag) is a cell surface protein known to trigger apoptosis in a variety of cells upon specific antibody binding. On the other hand, Bcl-2 protein, an oncogene product located at the mitochondrial inner surface, prolongs cell survival by blocking apoptosis. In this study we examined the expression of Fas ag and bcl-2 protein in 17 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to determine their role on HCC. By flow cytometric analysis, mean (SD) value of the expression of Fas ag on hepatocytes derived from normal liver, diseased liver (chronic hepatitis or liver cirrhosis) and HCC was 5.8 (4.7)%, 10.3 (6.9)%, and 24.0 (18.2)%, respectively. Fas ag expression on hepatoma cells was significantly greater than normal and diseased liver cells. The expression of Bcl-2 protein in normal liver, diseased liver and HCC was 4.3 (8.5)%, 0.8 (2.5)% and 2.1 (3.4)%, respectively, and the difference was not significant. These results suggest that induction of apoptosis may be a possible therapy against HCC.
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PMID:Expression of Fas antigen and Bcl-2 protein in hepatocellular carcinoma. 750 84

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) establishes latency in sensory ganglia following primary infection (chickenpox) and may reactivate decades later to produce zoster (shingles). The presence of VZV DNA in latently infected ganglia has been demonstrated by Southern blot hybridization as well as by polymerase chain reaction of DNA extracted from latently infected ganglia. Conflicting results have been obtained by in situ hybridization studies to determine the cell type in the ganglia harboring the latent VZV. To address this controversy we have utilized a more sensitive method than the previous studies. We have applied the technique of polymerase chain reaction to sections of ganglia from latently infected individuals and combined this with in situ hybridization to detect the amplified product. Primers specific for VZV were used to amplify VZV DNA in latently infected human trigeminal ganglia and demonstrated the presence of VZV DNA in neurons only. Sections from human kidney and ganglia from neonates as well as monkey ganglia served as controls and did not show amplification of VZV sequences. Amplification using primers for human genes, alpha tubulin and the oncogene Bcl-2, demonstrated the presence of these sequences in nearly all cells in the human tissues while only weak signals were seen in the monkey tissue. This is the first report where in situ amplification has been utilized to detect latent VZV in human ganglia.
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PMID:Detection of latent varicella zoster virus DNA and human gene sequences in human trigeminal ganglia by in situ amplification combined with in situ hybridization. 750 1

Bcl-2 inhibits most types of apoptotic cell death, implying a common mechanism of lethality. Bcl-2 is localized to intracellular sites of oxygen free radical generation including mitochondria, endoplasmic reticula, and nuclear membranes. Antioxidants that scavenge peroxides, N-acetylcysteine and glutathione peroxidase, countered apoptotic death, while manganese superoxide dismutase did not. Bcl-2 protected cells from H2O2- and menadione-induced oxidative deaths. Bcl-2 did not prevent the cyanide-resistant oxidative burst generated by menadione. Two model systems of apoptosis showed no increment in cyanide-resistant respiration, and generation of endogenous peroxides continued at an inherent rate that was unaltered by Bcl-2. Following an apoptotic signal, cells sustained progressive lipid peroxidation. Overexpression of Bcl-2 functioned to suppress lipid peroxidation completely. We propose a model in which Bcl-2 regulates an antioxidant pathway at sites of free radical generation.
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PMID:Bcl-2 functions in an antioxidant pathway to prevent apoptosis. 750 12

Two major B cell subpopulations were identified in the IgD- compartment of tonsils and subsequently isolated. They displayed the following phenotypes: CD10+CD38+CD44- (CD38+ B cells) and CD10-CD38-CD44+ (CD38- B cells). Of the CD38- B cells, 70% also expressed CD24 and CD39, whereas CD77 was specifically distributed on 40% of CD38+ B cells, suggesting an additional level of heterogeneity in the cellular composition of these two B cell types. Whereas the majority of CD38+ B cells were in cycle, most CD38- B cells were quiescent. Conversely, Bcl-2 was expressed in CD38- B cells but was not detected in CD38+ B cells. Of the CD38- B cells, 30% bore the homing receptor Leu-8/Mel-14, whereas CD38+ B cells lacked this marker. Thus, CD38- B cells have both survival capacity and migratory competence. Both subsets expressed surface (s) Igs which were mainly of the IgG class, implying that most of these cells have already undergone isotype switching. CD38- B cells proliferated vigorously and produced large amounts of IgG in response to cytokines, following ligation of slgs or CD40. In contrast, CD38+ B cells were only stimulated for DNA synthesis by a combination of IL-4 and anti-CD40 antibodies, and failed to differentiate into Ig-secreting cells regardless of the stimulus applied. We propose that CD38- B cells represent an extra-follicular mature B cell population which has been positively selected and rescued from apoptosis, whereas the CD38+ B cell subset is composed of germinal centre B cells.
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PMID:Phenotypic and functional heterogeneity of the IgD- B cell compartment: identification of two major tonsillar B cell subsets. 750 10

Negative selection during T cell ontogeny involves selective induction of apoptosis in thymocytes. In peripheral lymphoid cells, apoptosis may be mediated via the APO-1 pathway. Here we report that APO-1 is constitutively expressed on the vast majority of human thymocytes but down-regulated at a mature stage of thymocyte development (TCR(hi)). This stage of development is characterized by CD28hi, CD44hi, CD69hi and up-regulation of Bcl-2 protein. We define a new thymocyte subpopulation that expresses high levels of APO-1 and intermediate levels of T cell receptor alpha/beta (TCR(im)/APO-1hi). The TCR(im)/APO-1hi population contains a large fraction of dead cells, suggesting that the APO-1 pathway may be involved in negative selection of at least a fraction of thymocytes after intrathymic activation.
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PMID:Differential expression of APO-1 on human thymocytes: implications for negative selection? 751 Feb 44

We have investigated the precise distribution of human B-lymphocyte subpopulations (CD5+ B lymphocyte, Leu-8+ lymphocyte, immunoglobulin D (IgD)+ lymphocyte, alkaline phosphatase (ALPase)+ B lymphocyte and bcl-2 protein+ B lymphocyte) within the mantle zones (MZs) and phenotypic characterization of human CD5+ B lymphocytes using immunohistochemical techniques and flow cytometric analysis. IgD+ lymphocytes and ALPase B lymphocytes were confined to the inner layer and outer layer of the MZs of secondary follicles, respectively. CD5+ B lymphocytes and Leu-8+ B lymphocytes were mostly located in the inner layer of the MZs. Bcl-2 protein+ B lymphocytes were seen throughout the MZs. The precise distribution pattern of human B-lymphocyte subpopulations may help further understanding of the histogenesis and features of B-cell lymphomas, particularly mantle cell-derived lymphomas as well as the B-cell differentiation pathway. A minor population of CD5+ B lymphocytes expressed IgD. Almost all the CD5+ lymphocytes did not express ALPase. The data support the fact that CD5+ B lymphocytes are located more in the inner layer than in the outer layer of the MZs. Leu-8 and bcl-2 protein were detected in a large population of CD5+ B lymphocytes. In addition, Ki-67 antigen was not expressed on the CD5+ B lymphocytes. The data suggest that human CD5+ B lymphocytes may be long-living and resting (G0 and G1a stage) cells possessing the capability of continuously recirculating between blood and lymph nodes to participate in some immune responses. Moreover, Leu-8 and CD44 were detected in the majority of CD5+ B lymphocytes but intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and very late antigen-4 (VLA-4) were detected in the minority. The data may account for a high percentage of Leu-8 and CD44 expression and a low percentage of ICAM-1 and VLA-4 expression on B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL), which is considered to be a neoplastic counterpart of normal CD5+ B lymphocyte.
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PMID:Phenotypic characterization of human B-lymphocyte subpopulations, particularly human CD5+ B-lymphocyte subpopulation within the mantle zones of secondary follicles. 751 26

We have analyzed phenotypic, functional, and molecular properties of B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) cells as compared to normal B cell differentiation stages and/or subsets. The possibility that the target B cell population transformed by the I primary oncogenic event(s) belongs to the normal CD5+ B cell subset from B mantle zone of secondary follicles is highly likely on phenotypic grounds. Though the genes responsible for the primary oncogenic event are presently unknown, a number of functional and molecular findings indicate that the end-product of their transforming activity is a cell frozen in the G0 phase of the cell cycle. This cell has several abnormalities that prevent an appropriate mitogenic response and presents a pattern of apoptosis-related gene expression that hinders apoptotic death. Pivotal to this apoptosis-escaping capacity is the expression of Bcl-2. We suggest that the increased expression of Bcl-2 together with an asynchronism between the expression of Bcl-2, c-myc, and APO1/Fas gene products shift the cellular balance away from apoptosis thereby helping the progressive accumulation in G0 of malignant CD5+ B cells.
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PMID:The nature of the B lymphocyte in B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia. 751 20

During human skin development, embryonic- and fetal-specific periderm cells and incompletely keratinized cells are replaced by keratinocytes that differentiate while stratifying to form the fully functional epidermis. Proliferating basal cells of fetal skin also develop into epidermal appendages such as hair follicles and glands. We demonstrate that programmed cell death, not emphasized in conventional epidermal biology, has an important function in establishing the final architecture of the human epidermis and its appendages. Immunohistochemical localization of transglutaminases in fetal periderm, intermediate epidermal cells, and within appendages coincides with DNA fragmentation indicating that apoptosis is involved in deletion of these stage-specific cells and remodeling of appendages. The data also suggest that terminal differentiation of epidermal cells might be a specialized form of apoptosis. The pattern of expression of bcl-2, a gene associated with survival of some cells, is exclusive of the distribution patterns of markers of the cell death pathway. Bcl-2 protein is correlated with specific morphogenetic events in hair follicles and eccrine sweat glands, and its presence in single cells of the hair follicle bulge suggests that Bcl-2 may be a stem cell marker.
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PMID:Apoptosis in human skin development: morphogenesis, periderm, and stem cells. 751 23

Expression of Bcl-2 protein and Fas antigens was analyzed in 12 cases of follicular lymphoma and 32 cases of diffuse lymphoma, including 22 B-cell and 10 T-cell lymphomas. It was shown that 75% of follicular lymphomas had clear expression of both Bcl-2 protein and Fas antigen. Thus, follicular lymphomas may have a growth advantage due to their high expression of Bcl-2 protein, which tended to impede apoptosis mediated by Fas antigen. On the other hand, diffuse lymphomas showed various patterns; 28% were double positive, 16% were only Bcl-2 protein-positive, 28% were only Fas antigen-positive, and 28% were double negative or equivocal. Cytocidal assay of seven leukemia/lymphoma cell lines using anti-human Fas monoclonal antibody revealed that overexpression of Bcl-2 protein tended to impede apoptosis mediated by Fas antigen. However, this inhibitory effect of Bcl-2 protein was incomplete and its effect might be dependent upon cell type.
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PMID:Expression of Bcl-2 protein and Fas antigen in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. 751 26


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