Differential expression of BCL-2 family proteins in ALK-positive and ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma of T/null-cell lineage.

ABSTRACT: Anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) of T- or null-cell lineage, as defined in the revised European-American lymphoma classification, includes a subset of tumors that carry the t(2;5)(p23;q35) resulting in overexpression of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK). Patients with ALK+ ALCL are reported to have a better prognosis than patients with ALK- ALCL. Because the mechanisms for this survival difference are unknown, we investigated the hypothesis that apoptotic pathways may be involved. We therefore assessed expression levels of the anti-apoptotic proteins BCL-2 and BCL-XL and the pro-apoptotic proteins BAX and BCL-XS in T/null-cell ALCL using immunohistochemical methods and correlated the findings with ALK expression and apoptotic rate (AR), the latter assessed by a modified Tdt-mediated dU

SUBMITTER: Rassidakis GZ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1850542 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature