Over-expression of bcl-x sub(L) gene in human gastric adenomas and carcinomas

• Published in: International journal of cancer Vol. 68; no. 6; pp. 727 - 730
• Main Authors: Kondo, S, Shinomura, Y, Kanayama, S, Higashimoto, Y, Miyagawa, JI, Minami, T, Kiyohara, T, Zushi, S, Kitamura, S, Isozaki, K, Matsuzawa, Y
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-12-1996
• ISSN: 0020-7136

The present study was designed to clarify whether bcl-x sub(L) is involved in the development of carcinoma in the stomach. Levels of bcl-x sub(L) and bcl-2 mRNA were determined by a reverse-transcription /polymerase-chain reaction in endoscopic gastric biopsy specimens from 10 control subjects, 11 patients with adenomas and 14 patients with carcinomas. In 6 of 11 adenomas, 5 of 8 early carcinomas and 3 of 6 advanced carcinomas, the bcl-x sub(L) gene was over-expressed. In carcinomas, over-expression of the bcl-x sub(L) gene was observed in 6 of 9 intestinaltype carcinomas and 2 of 5 diffuse-type carcinomas. No correlation was observed between bcl-x sub(L) and bcl-2 gene expression. In cases in which the bcl-x sub(L) gene was over-expressed, an apparent increase in the protein level of Bcl-x sub(L) was observed by immunoblot analysis and intense Bcl-x immunoreactivity was detected immunohistochemically within the tumor cells. In conclusion, we showed that bcl-x sub(L) is over-expressed in gastric carcinomas at both the RNA and protein levels, suggesting that over-expression of bcl-x sub(L) may play a role in gastric carcinogenesis.