| bitl was found as an open reading frame when exploring the integrin-mediated regulation of Bcl-2 expression in 2004. The protein was named as bitl (bcl-2 inhibitor of transcription 1) to denote its ability to regulate Bcl-2 expression. Later results showed that it was evolutionarily conserved from bacteria to human. The Bitl transcript was prominent in human testis, prostate, skeletal muscle and liver, and was clearly detectable in human heart,spleen,placenta and colon. No significant Bitl mRNA sigal was seen in the thymus or in peripheral leukocytes. Bitl was localized in the intermembrane space of mitochondria. Higher levels of cytosolic Bitl induced anoikis, while lower levels of it inhibited anoikis. That is, Bitl was a new molecule that might play an important part in apoptosis; so, there will be great significance to study this pro-apoptotic mitochondrial protein for exploring mechanism of apoptosis. This research was designed to find the distribution and biological function of Bitl in human gynecologic cancer cells and to explore the molecular details, which was hoped to indicate novel ideas for treatment of gynecologic cancers.The research can be divided into three parts as following:1. To study the distribution of Bitl in gynecologic cancers by tissue microarray assay.Methods: The expression of Bitl in 84 cervical cancer samples and 82 ovarian cancer samples was analyzed by tissue microarray technology and immunohistochemistry, compared with that in 76 normal cervical tissue samples and 78 normal ovary tissue samples. |
