Objective: To observe mRNA and protein expression of bcl-x and explore the role of bcl-x in the regulation of apoptosis and oncogenesis and their value in differential diagnosis of lymphomas.
Methods: Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and citric acid-microwave-ABC immunohistochemistry (ICH) were used to observe mRNA transcription forms and protein distributions of bcl-x in 30 frozen tissues and 109 paraffin embedded tissues (both including reactive hyperplasia and common types of lymphoma).
Results: RT-PCR revealed that all 30 frozen cases showed bcl-x transcription, of which 29 had bcl-x1 band and 13 had bcl-xs band. Bcl-x1 band was always stronger than bcl-xs band. IHC found that 97/109 cases had fine positive bcl-x granules in the cytoplasm. In lymphoid reactive hyperplasia, bcl-x exhibited weak immunoactivity in cells located in the germinal centers and interfollicular regions of the nodes but not in the mantle zone lymphocytes which surround germinal centers. In lymphomas, bcl-x immunoactivity was always strong and diffuse. The staining fractions in different types of lymphomas were significantly higher than those in lymphoid reactive hyperplasias (P > 0.05), but no significant difference was found between the positive rate and staining fraction of different types of lymphomas.
Conclusion: Bcl-x shows active mRNA transcription and high protein expression in lymphomas. The long isoform of bcl-x (bcl-xl) is the predominant expression. The characteristics of bcl-x protein expression may be helpful in differential diagnosis of reactive hyperplasia and lymphoma.