Apoptosis and apoptotic-related factors in mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the oral minor salivary glands.

Abstract

The oncoproteins Bcl-2 and Bax, the tumor suppressor gene product p53, TUNEL (TdT [terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase] dUTP nick end-labeling) and the cell-cycle antigen Ki-67 were studied in 71 cases of mucoepidermoid carcinoma originating in the oral minor salivary glands. Grade I tumors had higher expression of Bcl-2 than Grade II and III tumors (chi2 test, 0.01<P<0.025) and the Bcl-2-positive group had a higher survival rate than the Bcl-2-negative group (generalized Wilcoxon, P = 0.00051). Patients with strong TUNEL positivity had a higher survival rate than those with either weak positivity or negativity (generalized Wilcoxon, P = 0.047). The expression of p53 and TUNEL had a positive correlation (P = 0.0315). Grade II and III tumors had a higher frequency of positive Ki-67 expression than Grade I tumors (chi2 test, 0.01<P<0.025) and patients with Ki-67-negative tumors had better survival than patients with Ki-67-positive tumors (generalized Wilcoxon, P = 0.000099). This study showed that Bcl-2 proteins, p53 protein, TUNEL and Ki-67 are potentially useful prognostic markers for survival in patients with mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the oral minor salivary glands.

• Authors: H F Yin, N Okada, M Takagi
• Journal: Pathology international (Pathol Int) Vol. 50 Issue 8 Pg. 603-9 (Aug 2000) ISSN: 1320-5463 [Print] Australia
• PMID: 10972857 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• BAX protein, human
• Ki-67 Antigen
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
• Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
• bcl-2-Associated X Protein

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Apoptosis
• Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid (metabolism, mortality, pathology)
• Female
• Humans
• Immunoenzyme Techniques
• In Situ Nick-End Labeling
• Ki-67 Antigen (metabolism)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Staging
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins (metabolism)
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 (metabolism)
• Salivary Gland Neoplasms (metabolism, mortality, pathology)
• Salivary Glands, Minor (pathology)
• Survival Analysis
• Survival Rate
• Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 (metabolism)
• bcl-2-Associated X Protein