title: Immunohistochemical detection of p53 in non-malignant and malignant oral lesions associated with snuff dipping in the Sudan and Sweden.
abstract: Immunohistochemistry was used to examine the expression of p53 in pre-malignant oral lesions and oral squamous-cell carcinomas (SCCs) from Swedish and Sudanese snuff-dippers, as well as in pre-malignant oral lesions and oral SCCs from non-snuff-dippers from the Sudan, Sweden and Norway. Of the 14 SCCs from Sudanese snuff-dippers, 21% (3/14) expressed p53. Of the 14, 60 and 41 SCCs from non-snuff-dippers from the Sudan, Sweden and Norway, 64% (9/14), 65% (39/60) and 68% (28/41) expressed p53, respectively. A statistically significant difference in expression of p53 was found in SCCs from Sudanese snuff-dippers compared to those from non-snuff-dippers from all/or any of the 3 countries. None of the suspected pre-malignant oral lesions from Sudanese snuff dippers or non-snuff-dippers expressed p53. Only 2 out of the 15 oral fibro-epithelial hyperplastic lesions from Swedish snuff-dippers expressed p53. Some of the oral epithelial dysplastic lesions, as well as the carcinoma in situ lesions from Norwegian non-snuff-dippers, expressed p53, while the oral fibro-epithelial hyperplastic lesions did not. The low relative frequency of p53 expression found in oral SCCs from snuff-dippers compared to those from non-snuff-dippers might suggest differences in mechanisms of oncogenic action induced by snuff. Alternatively, the pathogenesis of malignant oral lesions from snuff-dippers may follow a p53-independent pathway. In view of the unusually high levels of the tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA) found in the type of snuff used in the Sudan, investigations of p53 mutations or oncogenes are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Haukeland Hospital, Bergen-Norway. Sosman@gades.uib.no
authors.forename: S O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Johannessen
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Idris
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.forename: E N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Vasstrand
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Magnusson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nilsen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009664:Norway; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000737:chemistry / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013397:Sudan; D013548:Sweden; D014030:Tobacco, Smokeless / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53