title: [A hot-spot mutation of p53 gene in nasopharyngeal carcinoma].
abstract: Using DNA sequencing and immunohistochemical staining, p53 gene mutation and overexpression were investigated in 23 formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded specimens of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). All patients were from regions of low NPC incidence in China. Sequencing of exon 7 and exon 8, revealed p53 gene mutation in 15 of the 23 specimens (65.2%). All the mutations were at codon 273(CGT-->CAT), so that arginine encoded by this codon was replaced by histidine. In addition, p53 overexpression was found in another NPC specimen without mutation in exon 7 or 8 of p53 gene. The results suggest that p53 gene mutation is of common occurrence in NPC. The hot-spot mutation at codon 273 might be related to some special carcinogen in the environment, or this change be essential in the multi-step process of carcinogenesis of the nasopharynx.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Institute and Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yin
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics; D003062:Codon; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D005091:Exons; D016158:Genes, p53; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D017354:Point Mutation
chemical_list: D003062:Codon; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm