Bcl-2, Bax, Bcl-x(L) and Bcl-x(S) expression in neoplastic and normal endometrium

The two anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-x(L), and the two pro-apoptot ic proteins Bar and Bcl-x(S) were measured by Western blotting in 51 neopla stic and 8 normal endometrial samples. The corresponding mRNA levels were a nalyzed by semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in a subgroup of 19 endometrial carcinomas, Neoplastic tissues had higher amounts of Bcl-2 protein than normal tissues (p < 0.051), Bcl-x(L) followed the same trend since its levels were higher in tumor than in normal sample s (p < 0.048), Interestingly, Bcl-2 and Bcl-x(L) protein content showed a t rend towards an inverse correlation (r = 0.27, p < 0.052). mRNA and protein levels directly correlated only with Bcl-2 (r = 0.63, p < 0.0032), Despite the fact that the amounts of Bcl-2, Bar and Bcl-x(L) proteins in the neopl astic population were not significantly differently distributed according t o the clinicopathological features of the patients, the differences observe d between normal and neoplastic samples suggest that these proteins may pla y a role in endometrial carcinoma: long-term follow-up studies will be requ ired to confirm this hypothesis. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel