Immunohistochemical Evaluation of Bcl-2 Gene Family Expression in Liver of Hepatitis C and Cirrhotic Patients: A Novel Mechanism to Explain the High Incidence of Hepatocarcinoma in Cirrhotics

Abstract

The data indicate that bcl-2 expression is elevated in the liver of cirrhotics, but is not evident in the liver of hepatitis C patients. This increase in expression of bcl-2 in cirrhotic patients may correlate with development of hepatocellular carcinoma given the anti-apoptotic/oncogenic potential of bcl-2.