Publication: Bcl-2 protein in normal, hyperplastic and
neoplastic breast tissues. A metabolite of the
putative stem-cell subpopulation of the mammary gland
Authors
Luna-Moré, S. ; Weil, B. ; Bautista, D. ; Garrido, E. ; Florez, P. ; Martínez, C.
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Publisher
Murcia : F. Hernández
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DOI
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info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Description
Abstract
This investigation, though initially designed
to examine the possible influence of the Bcl-2 protein on
the node-metastasizing capacity of breast carcinomas,
was amplified to study the expression of this antiapoptotic
protein in normal breast lobules and
hyperplastic lesions. We examined paraffin sections of
508 breast carcinomas, stained for Bcl-2, estrogen (ER)
and progesterone receptors (PgR) and epithelial
membrane antigen, and occasionally for other antigens
as well. Only a few cells showing a strong Bcl-2
positivity spotted the tubulo-lobular units of normal
resting glands, whereas such cells were relatively
numerous in atrophic lobules, and very scarce in the
terminally differentiated lactating breast. Columnar and
usual types of hyperplasia were exclusively, or almost
exclusively, composed of Bcl-2(+), ER(+) and PgR(+)
cells. The foci of carcinoma in situ and those of invasive
carcinomas were respectively 83% and 66% positive for
Bcl-2 in at least 25% of their cells. Even among the
invasive carcinomas, Bcl-2(+) cases included 83% and
87% of the ER(+) and PgR(+) cases, respectively
(p=0.0001). Though there was a statistically significant
inverse relation between Bcl-2 and tumor grade
(p=0.0001), no significant association was found
between Bcl-2 and lymph node stage. In conclusion, we
suggest that normal, hyperplastic and neoplastic breast
epithelial cells expressing the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-
2 are immature cells that ought to form part of the stemcell
subpopulation, which is committed to the
development and to the maintenance of the normal gland
and which gives rise to hyperplastic and neoplastic
disorders when its proliferation is deregulated. In ductal
proliferative changes Bcl-2 assays may be useful for
diagnostic but not for prognostic purposes.
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