Expression of p53 in adrenocortical tumours: clinicopathological correlations.
There are limited data to suggest that abnormalities of p53 expression may be a late event in the development of adrenocortical tumours. This has been investigated further by examining a series of adrenocortical adenomas and carcinomas by immunohistochemistry for p53 expression and a subset for evidence of mutation in exons 5-8 of the p53 gene using polymerase chain reaction/single strand conformational polymorphism (PCR/SSCP). In carcinomas, the findings have been correlated with survival data and with tumour ploidy. Immunopositivity for p53 was seen in 4 of 34 adenomas and 22 of 42 carcinomas. Mobility shifts were identified in 1 of 4 adenomas and 10 of 21 carcinomas. There was no correlation between immunostaining pattern or PCR/SSCP evidence of mutation and either survival or disease-free survival in carcinoma. There was also no correlation between p53 status and tumour ploidy. While these findings support a role for p53 in tumour progression, abnormal p53 expression does not appear to have any significant prognostic effect in carcinoma.
McNicol
A M
AM
University Department of Pathology, Glasgow Royal Infirmary University NHS Trust, U.K.
Nolan
C E
CE
Struthers
A J
AJ
Farquharson
M A
MA
Hermans
J
J
Haak
H R
HR
D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D018246:Adrenocortical Adenoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D018268:Adrenocortical Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D016158:Genes, p53; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011003:Ploidies; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D015996:Survival Rate; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53