Mutations of the p16 gene product are rare in prostate cancer.
BACKGROUND
The p16 gene product is a negative regulator of cell cycle and has been shown to be deleted or mutated in a number of tumor cell lines and primary tumors. The role of p16 in prostate cancer is not defined. Prostate cancer tissues and cell lines were evaluated for p16 gene alterations.


METHODS
Five metastatic prostate cancer cell lines were analyzed for p16 gene structure and its expression by Southern and Northern blot analyses. Forty-one DNA specimens from 18 microdissected primary tumor specimens, adjacent normal tissues, and cell lines were amplified by polymerase chain reaction for p16 protein coding and splice junction sequences. Mutations were analyzed by single strand conformation polymorphism and DNA sequencing.


RESULTS
DU 145 cell line exhibited a missense mutation in codon 84 (GAC to TAC). With the exception of previously reported polymorphism, no mutation was detected in p16 coding or splice junction sequences in primary prostate cancer specimens.


CONCLUSIONS
Inactivation of p16 gene by mutations in the protein coding sequence does not play a major role in the genesis of primary prostate cancer.
Gaddipati
J P
JP
Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland 20814-4799, USA.
McLeod
D G
DG
Sesterhenn
I A
IA
Hussussian
C J
CJ
Tong
Y A
YA
Seth
P
P
Dracopoli
N C
NC
Moul
J W
JW
Srivastava
S
S
D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D015342:DNA Probes; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D009154:Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D015342:DNA Probes; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm