Abstract
Immunoreactivity for bcl-2, Bax and Fas was analysed in 16 cases with Hashimoto thyroiditis. Bcl-2-expression was constantly seen in regular thyrocytes and in the mantle-zone of lymphofollicular infiltrates. However, thyrocytes in the vicinity of lymphoid infiltrates and, especially, mitochondria-rich oxyphil cells exhibited reduced staining or none at all for bcl-2. Bax was found to be weakly reactive or negative in normal thyrocytes and was not up-regulated in bcl-2-deficient epithelial cells. In contrast, expression of Fas was markedly increased both in typical thyrocytes and in oxyphil cells within areas of lymphocytic infiltration. In conclusion, focal lack of bcl-2 expression together with up-regulation of Fas is a constant feature of Hashimoto thyroiditis. The reaction pattern of oxyphil cells is identical to that of affected typical thyrocytes without proliferation of mitochondria. Loss of bcl-2 with up-regulation of Fas is therefore likely to precede oncocytic change. Whether these alterations are involved in the process of oncocytic transformation remains to be clarified, however.
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Received: 25 June 1999 / Accepted: 14 January 1999
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Müller-Höcker, J. Expression of bcl-2, Bax and Fas in oxyphil cells of Hashimoto thyroiditis. Virchows Archiv 436, 602–607 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004280000188
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004280000188