P53 as a marker of the malignant cell in Hodgkin's disease.
BACKGROUND
The p53 gene has a tumor-suppressor function. The mutated gene encodes for a protein which has a longer half-life than the normal p53 protein. This enables the detection of the mutated p53 protein by immunohistochemistry.


METHODS
In this study we examined 53 lymph nodes of patients with Hodgkin's disease for the presence of p53. The lymph nodes were stained with DO-1 and CM-1, two antibodies directed against the p53 protein.


RESULTS
DO-1 weakly stained 2/14 samples positively, and CM-1 10/25. When preincubated with Target Unmasking Fluid, CM-1 stained 51/53 samples positively. Although, only Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg cells stained positively, p53-negative Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg cells were also seen in the same sample.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on these results, we conclude that the p53 mutated protein is present in a high number of cases with Hodgkin's disease, which is suggestive for an important event in the pathophysiology of the disease. In addition, because of the absence of positive staining in the surrounding lymphocytes, these cells are unlikely to be part of the malignant clone.
Pasman
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PC
Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Tiebosch
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Erdkamp
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Vrints
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Breed
W P
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Schouten
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HC
D016158:Genes, p53; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D009154:Mutation; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis*
D005819:Genetic Markers; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53