AIMS: Evasion of apoptosis is one of the hallmarks of cancer. Bax-interacting factor-1 (Bif-1) interacts with both Bax and Bak that are essential for the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis, and enhances apoptosis. The aim of this study was to explore whether alteration of Bif-1 expression might be a characteristic of gastric cancer. METHODS: We analysed the expression of Bif-1 protein in 60 gastric adenocarcinomas by immunohistochemistry using a tissue microarray approach. RESULTS: In normal gastric mucosal cells, surface and glandular epithelial cells strongly expressed Bif-1. While Bif-1 expression was detected in 24 cases (40%) of the gastric carcinomas, there was no Bif-1 immunostaining in the remaining 36 cancers. Even in the 24 cases with positive Bif-1 immunostainings, 10 cancers showed decreased intensity of immunostaining compared with the normal mucosal epithelial cells. CONCLUSION: The decreased expression of Bif-1 in malignant gastric epithelial cells compared with the normal mucosal cells suggests that loss of Bif-1 expression may play a role in gastric tumorigenesis, possibly by inhibiting the apoptosis mediated by Bif-1.
AIMS: Evasion of apoptosis is one of the hallmarks of cancer. Bax-interacting factor-1 (Bif-1) interacts with both Bax and Bak that are essential for the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis, and enhances apoptosis. The aim of this study was to explore whether alteration of Bif-1 expression might be a characteristic of gastric cancer. METHODS: We analysed the expression of Bif-1 protein in 60 gastric adenocarcinomas by immunohistochemistry using a tissue microarray approach. RESULTS: In normal gastric mucosal cells, surface and glandular epithelial cells strongly expressed Bif-1. While Bif-1 expression was detected in 24 cases (40%) of the gastric carcinomas, there was no Bif-1 immunostaining in the remaining 36 cancers. Even in the 24 cases with positive Bif-1 immunostainings, 10 cancers showed decreased intensity of immunostaining compared with the normal mucosal epithelial cells. CONCLUSION: The decreased expression of Bif-1 in malignant gastric epithelial cells compared with the normal mucosal cells suggests that loss of Bif-1 expression may play a role in gastric tumorigenesis, possibly by inhibiting the apoptosis mediated by Bif-1.
Authors: Domenico Coppola; Cecilia Oliveri; Zena Sayegh; David Boulware; Yoshinori Takahashi; Julio Pow-Sang; Julie Y Djeu; Hong-Gang Wang Journal: Clin Genitourin Cancer Date: 2008-09 Impact factor: 2.872
Authors: Yoshinori Takahashi; Domenico Coppola; Norimasa Matsushita; Hernani D Cualing; Mei Sun; Yuya Sato; Chengyu Liang; Jae U Jung; Jin Q Cheng; James J Mulé; W Jack Pledger; Hong-Gang Wang Journal: Nat Cell Biol Date: 2007-09-23 Impact factor: 28.824