Expression of bcl-2 in lichen planus, acute graft-versus-host disease, and erythema multiforme.

The bcl-2 gene family plays a significant role in the propagation of cell survival and tissue modeling. Bcl-2 was originally described in follicular lymphomas and is associated with the suppresion of cellular apoptosis. Evaluation for this protein has been performed for a variety of benign and malignant cutaneous tumors but not to any significant extent on inflammatory disorders. Therefore, we stained biopsy specimens from diseases with interface inflammation (lichen planus, acute graft-versus-host disease, and erythema multiforme) for Bcl-2. Epidermal expression of this protein was minimal for all three diseases; however, lymphocytes stained prominently in lichen planus. The data suggest that Bcl-2 is not prominently involved in the epidermal changes in these diseases. The role of other members of this oncogene family in interface dermatitis still needs to be elucidated.