Apoptosis‐related genes and proteins in Hodgkin's disease

Abstract

related genes and proteins in Hodgkin's disease. APMIS 1999; 107:63644.During recent years it has become increasingly evident that L&H cells in nodular lymphocytic predominance (LP) Hodgkin's disease (HD) and Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (H-RS) cells in approximately half the cases of classical HD originate from B-lymphocytes, and that H-RS cells in most of the remaining cases of classical HD express a null phenotype. The pathogenesis of HD is unknown. An association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been suggested and there are also indications that genes involved in programmed cell death (apoptosis) may be implicated. In this study, the expression of four apoptosis-related proteins (bcl-2, bcl-x, bax and p53) in 53 cases of HD was examined and the data were correlated with the genotype, the EBV status and the phenotype (B, T or null) of the neoplastic cells. The H-RS cells expressed a B-cell phenotype in 3/3 cases of nodular LP and in 19/ 50 (38%) cases of classical HD. The remaining cases showed a null-cell phenotype in 29/50 (58%) and a T-cell phenotype in 2/50 (4%). EBV was more often positive in B (14/19, 74%) than in null (7/29, 24%) type HD. The H-RS cells were bcl-2-positive in 19/53 (36%), bcl-x-positive in 17/53 (32%), baxpositive in 1/53, and p53-positive in 41/53 (77%) cases. No relationship was found between bcl-2 expression and EBV status, or between bcl-2 and bcl-x expression. A t( l4;18) translocation was seen in 2 of 34 cases. P53 point mutations were not detected. Our findings indicate that nodular LP and classical H D originate from B-cells in a high proportion of cases. They also suggest a role for bcl-2, bcl-x and p53 in tumorigenesis. The pathogenesis is not known at this stage.

The development of lymphomas in families with autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome with germline Fas mutations and defective lymphocyte apoptosis

“…39 The involvement of Fas mutations in lymphoma is distinct from other apoptosis defects that have been postulated to play a role in lymphoma. Previously, genetic alterations in Bcl-2-related molecules were associated with lymphoid malignancy [40][41][42] ; however, Bcl-2 protects against an apoptosis pathway emanating from the mitochondrion that was not defective in the lymphoma sample from patient 55 ( Figure 3). 19 By contrast, Fas is a cell surface receptor that promotes apoptosis in response to a specific inducer, Fas ligand, to govern lymphocyte homeostasis during immune responses.…”

Primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma: a clinical, histological, phenotypic and genotypic study of 21 cases

“…From each sample, 0·5 μg DNA was amplified and analysed for breakpoints in the major breakpoint region (MBR) and the minor cluster region (MCR) as described. 17 The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers were one consensus primer for all immunoglobulin heavy chain joining regions, 18 an MBR‐specific primer, 19 and an MCR‐specific primer. 20 The final amplification products were loaded directly on a 2% agarose electrophoresis gel containing ethidium bromide and visualized under ultraviolet radiation.…”

No Influence of bcl-2, p53, and p21 waf1 Protein Expression on the Outcome of Pediatric Hodgkin Lymphomas

“…10 Previous studies have shown a relationship between the expression of both apoptotic and cell cycle proteins and patients outcome. 3,4,[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] Particularly, it is crucial to evaluate these mechanisms in those cases which chemotherapic agents and radiotherapy induce apoptosis of tumor cell, to predict treatment response. Therefore, an accurate prediction of the results of treatment might eventually allow the identification of patients who are likely to benefit from reduced therapy, or those who have a low probability of having a sustained response to standard treatment.…”