[Expression of survivin and caspase-3 in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and their clinical significance].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Survivin, a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family, can directly inhibit caspase-3 and caspase-7 activity and plays an important role in oncogenesis. This study was designed to investigate the expression of survivin and caspases-3 in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) with different aggressiveness and their clinical significance.

METHODS

The expression of survivin and caspase-3 in 54 cases of NHL were determined with immunohistochemistry of EnVision.

RESULTS

The expression rates of survivin and caspase-3 were 51.9% (28/54) and 83.3% (45/54), respectively. The expression of survivin in NHL patients with low grade malignancy (19%, 4/21) was lower than that of NHL patients with intermediate-high grade malignancy; the difference was statistically significant. The expression of caspase-3 showed the same tendency. Co-expression rate of survivin and caspase-3 was 46.3% (25/54).

CONCLUSION

The expression of survivin is upregulated in NHL.