Expression and significance of proapoptotic gene Bax in gastric carcinoma

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Abstract
AIM To study the expression of proapoptotic gene Bax in human gastric carcinoma and its significance. METHODS Using immunohistochemistry methods, the Bax protein expression in 57 specimens of gastric carcinoma and its relationship with clinical status and pathomorphological parameters were observed. RESULTS Thirty-three (57.9%) cases were positive for Bax pr otein staining which was mainly located in the cytoplasm of tumor cells. The rate of Bax protein expression was not correlated with the tumor size, lymph node metas-tasis, depth of invasion, clinical stages of tu-mors and age and sex of patients (P < 0.05), but strongly associated with the morphological type and diff erentiation degree of tumors. It was significantly higher in intestinal type and well or moderately differentiated gastric carcinoma than in diffuse type and poorly differentiated gastric carcinoma (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). CONCLUSION The proapoptotic gene Bax is differently expressed in most of gastric carcinoma and may take part in the modulation of apoptosis i n gastric carcinoma. The expression of Bax might be associated with the occurrence of intestinal type gastric carcinoma and the differentiation of gastric carci noma.