title: p53 abnormalities are rare events in neuroendocrine (Merkel cell) carcinoma of the skin. An immunohistochemical and SSCP analysis.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to assess a possible role of the tumour suppressor gene p53 in neuroendocrine (Merkel cell) carcinoma of the skin with regard to tumour development and tumour progression. p53 was investigated in a series of routinely processed Merkel cell carcinomas, with application of four different p53 antibodies (CM-1, PAb1801, DO7, and PAb240) to 25 carcinomas and screening for p53 mutations of exons 4-8 by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis in 9 cases. All 25 tumours in the present series showed the characteristic microscopic and immunohistochemical features of Merkel cell carcinoma of the skin. In 5 of the 25 Merkel cell carcinomas investigated 5-10% of tumour cell nuclei showed a positive p53 reaction with at least one anti-p53 antibody. A few scattered p53 positive nuclei were found in an additional 9 cases. The remaining 11 cases completely lacked p53 immunostaining. SSCP analysis of exons 4-8 revealed no significant alterations in the mobility shift of the single strand DNAs in the five cases with 5-10% p53-immunoreactive tumour nuclei or in five cases lacking p53 accumulation significant. Our results suggest that alterations of the p53 gene play only a minor part in the development or progression of Merkel cell carcinoma of the skin.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Dermatology, University of Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dockhorn-Dworniczak
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Metze
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Zelger
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Luger
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Schmid
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D016158:Genes, p53; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53