Immunohistochemical evaluation of cell proliferation antigen Ki-67 and apoptosis-related proteins Bcl-2 and caspase-3 in oral granular cell tumor.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

We sought to evaluate the cell proliferation activity and immunohistochemical expression of proteins that promote or inhibit apoptosis in oral granular cell tumor (GCT).

STUDY DESIGN:

Immunohistochemistry for Ki-67, a cell proliferation marker; Bcl-2, an anti-apoptotic protein; and caspase-3, a protein implicated in the execution of apoptosis, was performed on tissues from 12 patients with GCT of the tongue.

RESULTS:

Nuclear immunostaining for Ki-67 was observed only in isolated GCs (less than 2%). All patients exhibited cytoplasmic immunoreactivity for Bcl-2 in the majority of tumor cells. Cytoplasmic staining for caspase-3 was also present in more than 50% of GCs in all tumors.

CONCLUSIONS:

GCT cells display low proliferation activity, a finding possibly related to their benign behavior. Caspase-3 expression suggests activation of the apoptotic cascade in the GCs, but persistence of the cells in the tissues could be attributed to the expression of Bcl-2 protein, a molecule that functions as a survival factor.

• Authors: Evanthia Chrysomali, Nikolaos G Nikitakis, Konstantinos Tosios, John J Sauk, Stavros I Papanicolaou
• Journal: Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology, oral radiology, and endodontics (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod) Vol. 96 Issue 5 Pg. 566-72 (Nov 2003) ISSN: 1079-2104 [Print] United States
• PMID: 14600691 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Coloring Agents
• Enzyme Precursors
• Ki-67 Antigen
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
• S100 Proteins
• CASP3 protein, human
• Caspase 3
• Caspases

Topics

• Adult
• Apoptosis (physiology)
• Caspase 3
• Caspases (analysis)
• Cell Division
• Cell Nucleus (ultrastructure)
• Coloring Agents
• Connective Tissue (pathology)
• Cytoplasm (ultrastructure)
• Enzyme Precursors (analysis)
• Epithelial Cells (pathology)
• Female
• Granular Cell Tumor (pathology)
• Humans
• Keratinocytes (pathology)
• Ki-67 Antigen (analysis)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 (analysis)
• S100 Proteins (analysis)
• Tongue Neoplasms (pathology)