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Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate bcl-2, bax, and c-erbB-2 expressions in primary and secondary acquired cholesteatoma and to indicate the role of apoptosis and accompanying increased cellular proliferation in the pathogenesis of cholesteatoma. Methods: Samples obtained from the skin of the external ear canal (EEC) of patients operated for chronic otitis media (COM) without cholesteatoma constituted Group 1; samples from the EEC skin of patients in Group 3 operated for COM with cholesteatoma and from the EEC skin of patients in Group 4 constituted Group 2; samples obtained from the cholesteatoma matrix of patients operated for COM with primary acquired cholesteatoma constituted Group 3; and samples obtained from the cholesteatoma matrix of patients operated for COM with secondary acquired cholesteatoma constituted Group 4. The assessment of the positive cell ratio was based on the presence of the following findings and was semiquantitatively classified into four groups: 0, no staining; + cell staining (weak positive staining: 1%-33%); ++ cell staining (moderately positive staining: 34%-66%); and +++ cell staining (strong positive staining: 67%-100%). Results: Comparison of the staining scores of bcl-2, bax, and c-erbB-2 revealed a statistically insignificant difference in the staining of samples obtained from the EEC skin (p>0.05). Decreased bcl-2 expression and increased bax and c-erbB-2 expressions were determined in primary and secondary acquired cholesteatoma epithelium compared with the EEC skin of patients operated for COM with or without cholesteatoma, and the differences were found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: In acquired cholesteatoma epithelium, the finding of decreased bcl-2 expression as well as increased bax and c-erbB-2 expressions compared with the EEC skin is an indicator of the increase in both cellular proliferation and apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate possible similar or different mechanisms in recurrent and spontaneous abortion by evaluating immunohistochemical correlation between proliferation marker Ki-67, and apoptosis markers Bcl-2 and Bax in the fetal trophoblasts and maternal deciduas from abortion material. Material and Method: Eighty samples of curettage materials from 65 abortion patients histopathologically diagnosed "decidua showing Arias-Stella reaction and chorionic villi" or only "decidua showing Arias-Stella reaction" were included in the study. Hematoxylin&Eosin stained sections from all cases were re-evaluated and further stained immunohistochemically using antibodies against Ki-67, Bcl-2 and Bax. Results: Proliferation rate evaluated by Ki-67 expression both in the cytotrophoblastic cells and decidua was found to be significantly lower in spontaneous and recurrent abortions compared to evacuation abortion. The extent of Bcl-2 expression in syncytiotrophoblastic cells covering villous stroma was also decreased in spontaneous abortion. There were no significant differences between spontaneous and recurrent abortions in terms of Bcl-2 expression in syncytiotrophoblasts and Ki-67 proliferation index in cytotrophoblastic cells or decidua. Bax staining showed minimal decidual expression in a few spontaneous and recurrent abortions. Conclusion: We concluded that proliferation rate was decreased in fetal villous cytotrophoblasts and maternal deciduas in spontaneous and recurrent abortions. We also proposed that loss of Bcl-2 expression in syncytiotrophoblasts may cause abortion in a subset of cases. However, the data from spontaneous and recurrent abortions did not not support the presence of different mechanisms in both groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]