Bcl-2 and LMP1 expression in nasopharyngeal carcinomas

• Published in: American journal of otolaryngology 2001-11, Vol.22 (6), p.377-382
• Main Authors: Sarac, Sarp, Akyol, M.Umut, Kanbur, Bilge, Poyraz, Aylar, Akyol, Gülen, Yilmaz, Taner, Sungur, Arzu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinoma - genetics; Carcinoma - mortality; Carcinoma - pathology; Carrier Proteins - genetics; Child; Cytoskeletal Proteins; Female; Gene Expression; Genes, bcl-2 - genetics; Genetic Markers - genetics; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; LIM Domain Proteins; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms - genetics; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms - mortality; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms - pathology; Neoplasm Staging; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Probability; Prognosis; Proportional Hazards Models; Retrospective Studies; Sampling Studies; Sensitivity and Specificity; Statistics, Nonparametric; Survival Analysis; Tumors; Turkey; Upper respiratory tract, upper alimentary tract, paranasal sinuses, salivary glands: diseases, semeiology
• ISSN: 0196-0709; 1532-818X
• DOI: 10.1053/ajot.2001.28071

In vitro studies of B-cells immortalized by Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) have shown that B-cell leukemia/lymphoma-2 (bcl-2) protein expression is upregulated by the EBV-latency–associated antigen, latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1). The same phenomenon has also been observed in epithelial cells in vitro. However, such correlation between these 2 markers has not been shown in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), in which EBV infection is a well-known etiologic factor. This retrospective study examined 35 cases of undifferentiated NPC to answer the question of whether LMP1 and/or bcl-2 presence can be used as biomarkers at treatment response, as well as to see the relationship between bcl-2 and LMP in NPC. Of the 35 patients, 26 (74.3%) were bcl-2, and 10 (28.6%) were LMP1-positive. Although a significant correlation was observed between bcl-2 and LMP1 staining (P = .003), it appeared that bcl-2 expression could be independent of LMP1. Statistical analysis showed that cervical lymph node metastasis (P = .04) and cranial nerve involvement (P = .03) are the only variables that significantly affect patient survival. At this time, bcl-2 and LMP1 presence are not significant indicators of outcome; however, although they are not directly related to survival, expression of both bcl-2 and LMP1 was strongly correlated with cervical lymph node metastasis, which is a potent predictor of patient survival. (Am J Otolaryngol 2001;22:377-382. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company)