Premium
Potential role of bcl‐2 as a suppressor of tumour angiogenesis in non‐small‐cell lung cancer
Author(s) -
Koukourakis Michael I.,
Giatromanolaki Alexandra,
O'Byrne Kenneth J.,
Whitehouse Ruth M.,
Talbot Denis C.,
Gatter Kevin C.,
Harris Adrian L.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0215(19971219)74:6<565::aid-ijc1>3.0.co;2-s
Subject(s) - angiogenesis , immunohistochemistry , lung cancer , pathology , cancer research , epidermal growth factor receptor , biology , lung , erbb , medicine , cancer
It has been reported that genes regulating apoptosis may play a role in tumoral angiogenesis. This study examined the relationship between tumour vascularization, a measure of tumour angiogenesis, and bcl‐2 and p53 expression in operable non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The relationship between bcl‐2, p53 and tumour vascularization and epidermal‐growth‐factor‐receptor(EGFR) and c‐erbB‐2 expression was also studied. Tissue sections from resected tumour specimens of 107 NSCLC patients were evaluated immunohistochemically for vascular grade and bcl‐2, p53, EGFR and c‐erbB‐2 expression. bcl‐2 expression was found in 20/107 (19%) cases and was associated with squamous‐cell histology ( p = 0.03). A strong inverse relationship was found between bcl‐2 expression and vascular grade ( p = 0.005). All c‐erbB‐2‐positive cases were negative for bcl‐2 expression ( p = 0.01). Overall no association was found between c‐erbB‐2 expression and vascular grade. However, in bcl‐2‐negative cases positive c‐erbB‐2 expression correlated with low angiogenesis ( p = 0.05). No relationship was found between p53 and EGFR expression and bcl‐2, c‐erbB‐2 or vascular grade. The improved prognosis reported in bcl‐2‐positive NSCLC may be related to low tumour vascularization. The results suggest that the anti‐apoptotic gene bcl‐2 plays a role in regulating tumour angiogenesis. Since normal lung epithelium expresses bcl‐2, a sequence of tumour progression involving loss of bcl‐2, then activation of c‐erbB‐2 or increase in tumour vascularization is proposed. Int. J. Cancer 74:565–570, 1997.© 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.