An immunohistochemical analysis of heat shock protein 70, p53, and estrogen receptor status in carcinoma of the uterine cervix.
OBJECTIVE
It has been shown that heat shock proteins (HSPs) protect cells from death caused by various noxious stimuli. Overexpression of HSP70 seems to be related to hormonal regulation of cell proliferation and/or down-regulation of sex steroid receptors. Wild-type p53 has been reported to repress HSP70 gene expression. It has been shown that mutant p53-HSP70 complex is highly expressed in cancer. However, the relationship between HSPs and steroid receptors or tumor suppressor gene products has not been well understood in uterine cervical carcinoma. This study was undertaken to examine the expression of HSP70, estrogen receptor (ER), and p53 in carcinoma of the uterine cervix. In addition, we analyzed HPV infection status and compared it to such immunohistochemical parameters. We also analyzed the relationship between these biological products and their clinicopathologic characteristics.


METHODS
Paraffin-embedded tissue sections were obtained from 84 patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Expression of HSP70, p53, and ER was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining using anti-HSP70 monoclonal antibody (SPA810), anti-p53 (BP53.12), and ER1D5 antibody, respectively. PCR HPV detection was done by dot hybridization method.


RESULTS
Positive staining of HSP70 was detected in 73% of the cases. HSP70 positivity was significantly higher in stage I cervical cancer than in stages II-IV (P = 0.02). This was associated with neither tumor size, lymph node status, parametrial involvement status, nor tumor markers (TA-4). Furthermore, there was no significant correlation between HSP70 positivity and the expression of p53 or ER or HPV infection status.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggested that HSP70 positivity was frequent in uterine cervical cancer, especially in the early stages. However, this was not significantly correlated with clinicopathologic characteristics nor with the expression of p53 or ER nor with HPV infection in carcinoma of the uterine cervix.
Park
C S
CS
Samsung Medical Center, School of Medicine, Sung Kyun Kwan University, 50 Ilwon-dong, Kangnam-ku, Seoul, 135-710, Korea.
Joo
I S
IS
Song
S Y
SY
Kim
D S
DS
Bae
D S
DS
Lee
J H
JH
D005260:Female; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000821:virology; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000821:virology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology
D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53