Relationship of Fas, FasL, p53 and bcl-2 expression in human non-small cell lung carcinomas

• Published in: International journal of clinical and experimental pathology 2015-01, Vol.8 (11), p.13978-13986
• Main Authors: Li, Yin, Xu, Ke-Ping, Jiang, Dong, Zhao, Jun, Ge, Jin-Feng, Zheng, Shi-Ying
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Apoptosis; Biomarkers, Tumor - analysis; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - chemistry; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - immunology; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - mortality; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - pathology; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - surgery; Fas Ligand Protein - analysis; fas Receptor - analysis; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Lung Neoplasms - chemistry; Lung Neoplasms - immunology; Lung Neoplasms - mortality; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Lung Neoplasms - surgery; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Staging; Original; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 - analysis; Time Factors; Tissue Array Analysis; Tumor Escape; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 - analysis
• ISSN: 1936-2625

Lack of surface Fas expression is a main route for apoptotic resistance which is considered an important mechanism of tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Fas and FasL expression in 110 non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLCs) were investigated to evaluate their roles in pulmonary carcinogenesis and to examine the clinicopathologic significance of Fas expression with its relationship with p53 and bcl-2 over- expression. Immunohistochemical analysis using tissue microarray demonstrated that a large proportion of NSCLC patients (60%) showed lack of membranous Fas expression. The Fas-negative cases revealed the significantly lower survival rate than Fas-positive ones. Also, the loss of Fas receptor expression was found more frequently in advanced stage and higher nodal status. FasL protein was increased in most NSCLCs (89%) compared to normal lungs. p53 and bcl-2 overexpression showed no association with Fas expression. Conclusively, reduced membranous Fas expression as a mechanism of apoptotic resistance is considered to play an important part of the pulmonary carcinogenesis, which may predict poor survival and have a negative prognostic influence. Increased FasL expression is thought to be a basis for the immune evasion in NSCLCs. The rare bcl-2 overexpression suggests that this anti-apoptotic protein is unlikely to play a role in the apoptotic resistance of NSCLCs.