[Expression of CDKN2 gene product in human bronchogenic carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To examine the expression of P16 protein in bronchogenic carcinoma and normal tissue adjacent to carcinoma and to determine the relationship between the gene and bronchogenic carcinoma.


METHODS
Using a rabbit polyclonal antibody against P16 (N-20), the expression of P16 protein was studied immunohistochemically on formalin fixed, paraffin embedded sections.


RESULTS
The cytoplasmic P16 protein was mainly present in normal bronchial epithelium (93.8%), serous gland (92.6%) and alveolar epithelium (71.4%), the expression levels of P16 were significantly lower in carcinoma tissues (61.9%) when compared to levels in their normal counterparts (P < 0.01). Among tumors, squamous cell carcinomas and small cell carcinomas exhibited lower P16 expression levels compared with adenocarcinomas (P < 0.01). The expression levels of P16 were lower in poorly-differentiated adenocarcinomas compared with those in well-differentiated adenocarcinomas (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggested that CDKN2 gene was a tumor suppressor gene, the inactivation of which were involved in the carcinogenesis of bronchogenic carcinoma and implicated in tumor differentiation.
Jiang
Y
Y
Cancer Research Institute, China Medical University, Shenyang.
Xia
S
S
Dai
X
X
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000235:genetics; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*
D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16