EXPRESSION OF Bcl-2 AND Bax PROTEIN AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO APOPTOSIS AND PROLIFERATION IN NON-SMALL-CELL LUNG CANCER

Objective To study the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax oncoprotein and its relationship with proliferation and (apoptosis) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods Immunohistochemistry stain (SABC) method was applied to investigate the expression of Bcl-2, Bax protein and PCNA in 43 NSCLC and 20 normal lung tissue adjacent to lung carcinoma. Cell (apoptosis) was examined with TUNEL method. Results The positive rate of Bcl-2 was significantly higher (~2=4.74,P(0.05)), while that of Bax was significantly lower (~2=5.65,P0.05) in the tissue of patients with NSCLC than in normal lung tissue adjacent to carcinoma. The AI and MI were higher than those of normal lung tissue adjacent to lung carcinoma (t=8.28,(9.62);P(0.01)). The AI of cancer patients with positive Bcl-2 was obviously lower than that with negative Bcl-2 (t=2.41,(P)(0.05)). AI of Bax-positive cancer patients was obviously higher than that of Bax-negative ones (t=2.62,P0.05). The expression of Bcl-2 and Bax oncoprotein had no relationship with MI of lung cancer (t=0.70,0.22;P0.05). Conclusion The expression of Bcl-2 protein is high while that of Bax protein is low in NSCLC. The expression of Bcl-2 and Bax protein correlates with apoptosis, which might play an important role in the carcinogenesis of lung carcinoma.