Apoptosis and cell proliferation: correlation with BCL-2 and P53 oncoprotein expression in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Occurrence and biological characteristics of tumors are related not
only to over-proliferation of carcinoma cells but also to decrease of apoptosis. The present
study was suggested to evaluate the correlation between P53 and Bcl-2 oncoprotein
expression with apoptosis and cell proliferative activity in HCC patients. METHODOLOGY:
P53 and Bcl-2 protein expression were estimated in the sera and in liver tissues of 45 HCC
cases using ELISA and immunohistochemistry. Apoptosis was estimated as apoptotic index
(AI) and cell proliferative activity was detected using AgNORs. RESULTS: Serum p53
antigen in HCC patients (0.46±0.331 ng/ml) showed significant elevation than healthy
individuals (0.24±0.11 ng/ml, p< 0.05). P53 protein was immunostained in 41% of HCC;
 of these positive cases were in diffuse pattern representing the mutant p53