title: Frequent p53 overexpression in therapy related myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukemias: an immunohistochemical study of bone marrow biopsies.
abstract: p53 overexpression was studied immunohistochemically in paraffin-embedded bone marrow biopsies using a recently described technique for antigen retrieval based on microwave oven heating of paraffin sections. Using a monoclonal antibody (PAb1801) that reacts with human cellular p53, nuclear staining was detected in 7/11 (63%) therapy-related myelodysplastic syndromes and in 3/4 (75%) therapy-related acute myeloid leukemias. Conversely, staining for p53 was seen only in 9/40 (22%) cases of "primary" hematologic conditions (P < 0.007); these included myelodysplastic syndromes [#2], acute myeloid leukemia [#4], and chronic granulocytic leukemia in accelerated phase or blast crisis [#3]. Biopsies of normal controls and of chronic granulocytic leukemia in stable phase were consistently p53(-). Nine of the 10 karyotyped p53(+) acute myeloid leukemia/myelodysplastic syndrome cases showed complex cytogenetic findings with frequent involvement of chromosome 5 and/or 7. Only four of the 33 karyotyped p53(-) cases showed similar cytogenetic changes. Chromosome 17 involvement was present in four of 13 (31%) cytogenetically assessed p53+ cases, but in none of the p53(-). In univariate analysis, p53 expression in both MDS and AML was significantly associated with shorter survival. The frequent overexpression of p53 in therapy-related myelodysplastic syndromes, therapy-related acute myeloid leukemias and in accelerated phase/blast crisis, chronic granulocytic leukemia and its strong association with complex karyotypes suggests an important role of this gene in the pathogenesis of these leukemic conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orazi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cattoretti
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Heerema
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sozzi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Neiman
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53