Bcl-2 Expression in Skin Pathergy Reaction of Behçet's Disease

Abstract

Background: Bcl-2 expression in leukocytes plays an important role in autoimmune and inflammatory disease. Objective: In the present study, we investigated the Bcl-2 expression in the skin pathergy reaction (SPR) of Behçet's disease (BD). Methods: The skin pathergy test (SPT) was performed on 23 patients with BD and 7 healthy controls. After 48 h, SPT specimens were taken by punch biopsy. Control samples were also obtained from the normal skin of 7 patients with BD and 11 patients with BD-unrelated leukocytoclastic vasculitis. Biopsy specimens were evaluated by routine histopathological examination and immunohistochemical Bcl-2 staining. Results: The SPT was clinically positive in 9 of 23 patients and histopathologically positive in 13 but never in the healthy controls. The majority of leukocytes in 12 of 13 histopathologically positive specimens were stained with Bcl-2. Only 3 BD-unrelated leukocytoclastic vasculitis samples showed Bcl-2 positivity. No Bcl-2 staining was found in healthy controls and normal skin samples of patients with BD. Conclusion: Our data may suggest a role of Bcl-2-mediated inflammation in the pathogenesis of the SPR in BD. Copyright © 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.