Mutation of the p53 tumor-suppressor gene is not a feature of endometrial hyperplasias.
OBJECTIVE
Mutation and overexpression of the p53 gene occur in approximately 20% of endometrial carcinomas. To determine whether alteration of the p53 gene is an early event in endometrial carcinogenesis, we examined the p53 gene in endometrial hyperplasias.


METHODS
Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid was extracted from 117 endometrial hyperplasias (36 simple, 40 complex, 41 atypical) and 30 endometrial cancers. Exons 5 through 8 of the p53 gene were amplified by means of the polymerase chain reaction. Mutations in the p53 gene were sought with single-stranded conformation polymorphism analysis and confirmed by direct deoxyribonucleic acid sequencing.


RESULTS
None of 117 endometrial hyperplasias were found to have mutations in the p53 gene, whereas mutations were seen in three of 30 (10%) endometrial cancers (p < 0.02). The p53 mutations seen in three cancers were confirmed by direct sequencing (codons 157, 180, 272).


CONCLUSIONS
Because it does not appear to be a feature of endometrial hyperplasias, mutation of the p53 gene may represent a relatively late event in endometrial carcinogenesis.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710.
M F
MF
Kohler
H
H
Nishii
P A
PA
Humphrey
H
H
Saski
J
J
Marks
R C
RC
Bast
D L
DL
Clarke-Pearson
J
J
Boyd
A
A
Berchuck
D001483:Base Sequence; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000737:chemistry; D004714:Endometrial Hyperplasia / Q000235:genetics*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D016158:Genes, p53 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides