title: Accumulation of p53 protein as an indicator for p53 gene mutation in breast cancer. Occurrence of false-positives and false-negatives.
abstract: Accumulation of p53 protein resulting in levels detectable by immunohistochemistry (IHC) has been proposed as an indicator of mutation of the p53 gene. We have investigated a panel of 23 fresh-frozen breast cancers by IHC (PAb 1801), Southern and Northern blot analysis, and direct sequencing of the mutation hot spot regions (exons 5-8) of the p53 gene. Three tumors (13%) showed an intense nuclear staining in the majority of malignant cells, but only one of these showed a mutation of the p53 gene (codon 237, Arg to His). Furthermore, a mutation (5-bp deletion) was identified in a tumor that showed no p53 immunoreactivity. Our results indicate that accumulation of p53 protein, as detectable by IHC, is not a reliable indicator for p53 gene mutation in human breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, GSF-Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit, Neuherberg, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lohmann
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ruhri
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Graeff
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Höfler
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D016158:Genes, p53 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53