Abstract
To clarify the relation between bcl-2 and bax protein (Bcl-2 and Bax) expression with regard to apoptosis and cell proliferation, 82 gastric carcinomas were immunohistochemically investigated. The significance of apoptosis for biological behaviour of the tumours was also examined. The apoptotic indices (AIs) were significantly lower in early-stage than in advanced-stage lesions (P<0.05), being positively correlated with the mitotic indices (MIs) (r=0.447, P<0.001). No association between either AIs or MIs and tumour size (diameter of intramural spreading) was noted. The AIs in the high Bcl-2-immunoreactive score group were significantly smaller than in either the low or the negative categories, whereas they were relatively elevated in the high Bax score group. In addition, an inverse correlation between Bcl-2 and Bax expression was revealed for both AIs and MIs. Although depth of tumour invasion and lymph node status were clearly associated with favourable outcome, no relation between survival rates and average values of either AIs or MIs, or immunoreactive scores for Bcl-2 and Bax was observed. These results indicate that in gastric carcinomas, apoptosis is closely associated with cell proliferation and expression of Bcl-2 and Bax, but appears likely to have no particular biological significance as a prognostic factor.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 24 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $10.79 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Koshida, Y., Saegusa, M. & Okayasu, I. Apoptosis, cell proliferation and expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in gastric carcinomas: immunohistochemical and clinicopathological study. Br J Cancer 75, 367–373 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1997.60
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1997.60
This article is cited by
-
Identification of novel biomarkers for lung squamous cell carcinoma
3 Biotech (2023)
-
Bcl-2 expression and patient survival in gastric cancer: a systematic review of the literature with meta-analysis
Medical Oncology (2015)
-
The role and prognostic value of apoptosis in colorectal carcinoma
BMC Clinical Pathology (2013)
-
Depressed type of intramucosal differentiated-type gastric cancer has high cell proliferation and reduced apoptosis compared with the elevated type
Gastric Cancer (2013)
-
The effects of exogenous melatonin on the morphology of thyrocytes in pinealectomized and irradiated rats
Journal of Neural Transmission (2006)