Identification of p53 mutations in endometrial adenocarcinoma by polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformation polymorphism.
OBJECTIVE
We determined whether mutations in p53 exons 5-6-7-8, as detected in the polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) test, might be correlated with stage or grade in endometrial adenocarcinoma.


METHODS
We amplified sequences containing exons 5, 6, 7, or 8 in DNA from tumors and controls. Mutation within the amplified sequences was indicated by changes in electrophoretic mobility (band shifts) in the SSCP test. The results were analyzed statistically and compared with the results of other, similar studies.


RESULTS
We identified 15 band shifts among 47 endometrial tumors studied (band shifts in two different exons in two cases) and none among 42 controls. Band shifts in exons 5 and 8 were associated uniformly with grade 2 or grade 3 histology. In other studies p53 mutations were correlated with advanced-stage malignancy.


CONCLUSIONS
Further evaluation of particular p53 mutations and their relation to disease course in endometrial adenocarcinoma seems warranted. The PCR-SSCP test seems well-suited to this purpose.
Wachtel
S S
SS
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tennessee, Memphis 38103, USA.
Wachtel
G
G
Shulman
L P
LP
Phillips
O
O
Miller
B
B
Photopulos
G
G
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D005091:Exons; D005260:Female; D016158:Genes, p53; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational