title: p53 immunoreactivity in human malignant melanoma and dysplastic naevi.
abstract: Expression of the tumour suppressor protein, p53, was determined in 77 cutaneous melanocytic lesions, and in five lymph node metastases from malignant melanoma, in an immunohistochemical study employing CM-1, an antiserum raised against recombinant human p53 protein. Because wild-type p53 protein is rapidly degraded in normal cells, p53 immunoreactivity suggests the presence of an abnormally stable p53 protein. This may occur through either post-translational mechanisms or gene mutation. A highly significant correlation was found between p53 immunoreactivity and malignancy in melanocytic lesions (P < 0.0001). Overall, p53 immunoreactivity was observed in 63% of tumour specimens examined, but not in benign melanocytic naevi, although occasional foci of weak nuclear p53 immunoreactivity were observed in a minority of dysplastic naevi and a solitary Spitz naevus. A significant correlation was also found between strong p53 immunoreactivity and malignant melanomas associated with a poor prognosis (P = 0.008). These data suggest an important role for p53 tumour suppressor protein in the biology of human cutaneous malignant melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Guy's Hospital, London, U.K.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: McGregor
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Dublin
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Levison
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: MacDonald
mesh_terms: D004416:Dysplastic Nevus Syndrome; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008545:Melanoma / Q000737:chemistry*; D011379:Prognosis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53