Premium
bcl‐2 expression in non‐Hodgkin's lymphomas is not associated with bcl‐2 gene rearrangements
Author(s) -
Papakonstantinou Georgios,
Verbeke Caroline,
Hastka Jan,
Bohrer Manfred,
Hehlmann Rüdiger
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2141.2001.02727.x
Subject(s) - gene , lymphoma , gene expression , biology , cancer research , immunostaining , gene rearrangement , immunohistochemistry , pathology , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , immunology , medicine
Previous reports have associated bcl‐2 gene rearrangements found in non‐Hodgkin's lymphomas with an inappropriately elevated bcl‐2 expression compared with the mature B‐cell stage of development. This study investigates bcl‐2 expression in non‐Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) without bcl‐2 gene rearrangements. Molecular analysis in 168 patients with NHL revealed 45 patients without bcl‐2 gene rearrangements in which additional immunostaining for bcl‐2 protein was possible. An unexpectedly high prevalence (39/45) of bcl‐2 expression was found. The levels and patterns of bcl‐2 expression were not specific for the histological type of NHL and were similar to those shown in comparable cases with bcl‐2 gene rearrangements. In conclusion, bcl‐2 expression is not specific for NHL bearing bcl‐2 gene rearrangements. This finding implicates the existence of other deregulating control mechanisms of bcl‐2 expression, more important than bcl‐2 gene rearrangements.