title: p53 alterations in thymic epithelial tumours.
abstract: The prognosis of thymic epithelial tumours depends on malignant behaviour that cannot always be predicted on histological grounds. This study aimed at identifying a molecular marker that would be useful in overcoming the drawbacks of histopathology. Forty-four thymic epithelial tumours were analysed for alterations of the tumour suppressor gene p53 using immunohistochemistry (antibodies D0-1 and CM-1) and PCR-based single-strand conformation polymorphism and DNA sequencing. Histological and clinical evaluation and also p53 analysis revealed three major tumour groups: non-organotypic thymic carcinomas with frequent p53 alterations (7/9) and occurrence of p53 gene mutations (2/9); malignant thymomas with frequent p53 alterations but without p53 gene mutations (11/18); and benign thymomas with rare p53 alterations and without p53 gene mutations (2/17). In non-organotypic thymic carcinomas p53 was detected with both antibodies. In contrast, thymomas lacked immunoreaction with D0-1 suggesting alteration of the antibody-binding site. Overall immunohistochemical results correlated with clinical stages (P < 0.01), pathohistology (P < 0.01), and survival times (P < 0.05). We consider immunohistochemical p53 detection to be a useful new prognostic factor for the evaluation of thymic epithelial tumours.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Weirich
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fellbaum
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brauch
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Nathrath
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scholz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Präuer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Höfler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D016158:Genes, p53 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D011379:Prognosis; D013945:Thymoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017931:DNA Primers; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53