Abstract
Background: A failure in the apoptotic response after severe genomic damage could facilitate cell transformation and tumor development, and a constitutive overexpression of either p53 or bcl-2 protein in nonapoptotic tumor cells could signify a defective bax-mediated apoptosis. Objectives: To investigate whether a negative correlation occurs between these 2 proteins in nonmelanoma skin cancer and whether overexpression of either protein is associated with a low rate of spontaneous apoptosis. Design: Immunohistochemical study of nonmelanoma skin cancer archive material. Setting: University referral center. Patients: White patients with tumors on sun-exposed skin areas (ie, 17 basal cell carcinomas and 22 squamous cell carcinomas). Main Outcome Measures: Positivity for p53 and bcl-2 were scored semiquantitatively on 4 levels, and the percentages of apoptotic cells were determined. Results: A significant negative correlation between p53 and bcl- 2 expression was found in the basal cell carcinomas, but not in the squamous cell carcinomas, largely attributable to the low level of bcl-2 staining in the squamous cell carcinomas. Squamous cell carcinomas have a significantly higher number of apoptotic cells than basal cell carcinomas: 1.1% vs 0.6%, respectively. This spontaneous apoptosis decreases with increasing bcl-2 (in basal cell carcinoma), whereas it does not appear to be related to p53 level expression. Conclusions: These results indicate that a disturbance in either p53 or bcl-2 suffices to enhance skin tumor formation by suppressing apoptosis; bcl-2 appears to reduce the rate of spontaneous apoptosis, but an aberrant p53 expression does not, and this factor may solely affect the apoptosis from exogenous genotoxicity.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 599-602 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Archives of Dermatology |
| Volume | 133 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Publication status | Published - 1997 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Dermatology
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bcl-2 vs p53 Protein expression and apoptotic rate in human nonmelanoma skin cancers. / Wikonkál, N.; Berg, Rob J W; Van Haselen, Christian W.; Horkay, Irene; Remenyik, E.; Begany, Agnes; Hunyadi, J.; Van Vloten, Willem A.; De Gruijl, Frank R.
In: Archives of Dermatology, Vol. 133, No. 5, 1997, p. 599-602.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - bcl-2 vs p53 Protein expression and apoptotic rate in human nonmelanoma skin cancers
AU - Wikonkál, N.
AU - Berg, Rob J W
AU - Van Haselen, Christian W.
AU - Horkay, Irene
AU - Remenyik, E.
AU - Begany, Agnes
AU - Hunyadi, J.
AU - Van Vloten, Willem A.
AU - De Gruijl, Frank R.
PY - 1997
Y1 - 1997
N2 - Background: A failure in the apoptotic response after severe genomic damage could facilitate cell transformation and tumor development, and a constitutive overexpression of either p53 or bcl-2 protein in nonapoptotic tumor cells could signify a defective bax-mediated apoptosis. Objectives: To investigate whether a negative correlation occurs between these 2 proteins in nonmelanoma skin cancer and whether overexpression of either protein is associated with a low rate of spontaneous apoptosis. Design: Immunohistochemical study of nonmelanoma skin cancer archive material. Setting: University referral center. Patients: White patients with tumors on sun-exposed skin areas (ie, 17 basal cell carcinomas and 22 squamous cell carcinomas). Main Outcome Measures: Positivity for p53 and bcl-2 were scored semiquantitatively on 4 levels, and the percentages of apoptotic cells were determined. Results: A significant negative correlation between p53 and bcl- 2 expression was found in the basal cell carcinomas, but not in the squamous cell carcinomas, largely attributable to the low level of bcl-2 staining in the squamous cell carcinomas. Squamous cell carcinomas have a significantly higher number of apoptotic cells than basal cell carcinomas: 1.1% vs 0.6%, respectively. This spontaneous apoptosis decreases with increasing bcl-2 (in basal cell carcinoma), whereas it does not appear to be related to p53 level expression. Conclusions: These results indicate that a disturbance in either p53 or bcl-2 suffices to enhance skin tumor formation by suppressing apoptosis; bcl-2 appears to reduce the rate of spontaneous apoptosis, but an aberrant p53 expression does not, and this factor may solely affect the apoptosis from exogenous genotoxicity.
AB - Background: A failure in the apoptotic response after severe genomic damage could facilitate cell transformation and tumor development, and a constitutive overexpression of either p53 or bcl-2 protein in nonapoptotic tumor cells could signify a defective bax-mediated apoptosis. Objectives: To investigate whether a negative correlation occurs between these 2 proteins in nonmelanoma skin cancer and whether overexpression of either protein is associated with a low rate of spontaneous apoptosis. Design: Immunohistochemical study of nonmelanoma skin cancer archive material. Setting: University referral center. Patients: White patients with tumors on sun-exposed skin areas (ie, 17 basal cell carcinomas and 22 squamous cell carcinomas). Main Outcome Measures: Positivity for p53 and bcl-2 were scored semiquantitatively on 4 levels, and the percentages of apoptotic cells were determined. Results: A significant negative correlation between p53 and bcl- 2 expression was found in the basal cell carcinomas, but not in the squamous cell carcinomas, largely attributable to the low level of bcl-2 staining in the squamous cell carcinomas. Squamous cell carcinomas have a significantly higher number of apoptotic cells than basal cell carcinomas: 1.1% vs 0.6%, respectively. This spontaneous apoptosis decreases with increasing bcl-2 (in basal cell carcinoma), whereas it does not appear to be related to p53 level expression. Conclusions: These results indicate that a disturbance in either p53 or bcl-2 suffices to enhance skin tumor formation by suppressing apoptosis; bcl-2 appears to reduce the rate of spontaneous apoptosis, but an aberrant p53 expression does not, and this factor may solely affect the apoptosis from exogenous genotoxicity.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0030992807&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
VL - 133
SP - 599
EP - 602
JO - JAMA Dermatology
JF - JAMA Dermatology
SN - 2168-6068
IS - 5
ER -