FUNDA YILDIRIM, KIVILCIM SÖNMEZ, Hande ÖZYOĞURTÇU, GÜLBİN ŞENNAZLI, AYDIN GÜREL, MEHMET CAN GÜNDÜZ, Besim Hasan SONTAŞ

Evaluation of Bcl-2, Bcl-XL and Bax expression and apoptotic index in canine mammary tumours

Meme tümörleri intakt dişi köpeklerin en sık karşılaşılan tümörleridir. Programlı hücre ölüm mekanizmalarında meydana gelen düzensizlikler meme bezi tümörlerinin patogenezis ve progresyonunda önemli bir rol oynamaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı köpek meme tümörlerinde (KMT) bazı anti-apoptotik proteinler (Bcl-2, Bcl-XL and Bax) ve apoptotik indeksin (AI), histopatolojik tanı, tümör derecelendirmesi, tümör evreleri ve kalan yaşam süreleri ile ilişkisini ortaya koymaktır. Meme tümörü olan yirmi yedi hayvandan yirmi yedi biyopsi örneği toplandı. Örnekler histopatolojik olarak incelendi ve derecelendirildi. Bütün olgular TNM sistemine göre evrelendi. Bcl-2, Bcl-XL ve Bax proteinlerinin sunulumu indirect immunoperoksidaz testi ile ve apoptozis ise terminal deoksinükleotidiltransferaz (TdT)-aracılı nick end-labelling (TUNEL) tekniği ile incelendi. Hasta takibi ve hayatta kalma süresi tahmini analizleri gerçekleştirildi. Bcl-2 sunulumu ve histopatolojik tanı arasında önemli bir istatistiksel ilişki belirlenirken (P0.05). Bax sunulumu açısından T1 ve T5 ile T2 ve T5 evreleri arasında önemli istatistiksel farklılıklar belirlendi (P0.05). Bcl-2’nin solid ve tubulopapiller adenokarsinomalar gibi malignitesi yüksek tümörlerde aşırı düzeylerde sunulduğu ve Bax’ın metastazik tümörlerde sunulumunun yüksek olduğu belirlendi. Sonuç olarak, Bcl-2 ve Bax sunulumları KMT’nin biyolojik davranış ve prognozlarını tahmin etmede yardımcı parametreler olabileceği fakat bu belirteçlerin tek başlarına hayatta kalma süresinin belirlenmesi için yeterli olmadığına karar verildi.

Köpek meme tümörlerinde Bcl-2, Bcl-XL ve Bax sunulumu ile apoptotik indeksin değerlendirilmesi

Mammary tumours are the most common neoplasms in intact female dogs. Dysregulation of programmed cell death mechanisms plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of mammary gland tumours. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between some anti-apoptotic proteins (Bcl-2, Bcl-XL and Bax), apoptotic index (AI) and histopathological diagnosis, tumour grading, tumour staging and survival time of canine mammary tumours (CMT). Twenty seven tissue samples were collected from twenty seven animals with mammary tumours. The samples were evaluated and graded histopathologically. All cases were staged according to the TNM system. The expression of Bcl-2, Bcl-XL and Bax proteins was investigated using indirect immunoperoxidase test and apoptosis was evaluated using terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase (TdT)-mediated nick end-labelling (TUNEL) technique. Follow-up examination and survival estimation analysis were performed. While there was a significant statistical relation between Bcl-2 expression and histopathological diagnosis (P<0.005), there was no considerable association between histopathological diagnosis and Bax, Bcl-XL and AI (P>0.05). The differences between T1 and T5, T2 and T5 stages were statistically significant in terms of Bax expression (P<0.05), and Bax expressions were higher in T5 when compared with T1 or T2. No association between survival time and Bcl-2, Bax, Bcl-XL and AI was determined (P>0.05). Bcl-2 was overexpressed in highly malignant tumours such as solid and tubulopapillary adenocarcinomas and Bax had high expression levels in metastatic tumours. As a result, it is concluded that Bcl-2 and Bax expression can be accessory parameters for anticipating the biologic behaviour and prognosis of CMT but these markers alone are not sufficient for the determination of survival time.

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