Overexpression of p53 in squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue in young patients with no known risk factors is not associated with mutations in exons 5-9.
BACKGROUND
This study investigated the status of the p53 tumor suppressor gene in patients less than 40 years of age who had squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue develop with no known risk factors.


METHODS
Histologic sections from 21 patients were prepared from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue and were processed for standard immunohistochemistry for detection of the p53 protein. In addition, tumors were evaluated by single-strand conformation polymorphism and by DNA sequencing to identify potential mutations in the conserved exons (5-9) of the p53 gene.


RESULTS
Eighty-one percent (17 of 21) of the patients overexpressed p53 by immunohistochemical analysis. However, none of these patients demonstrated mutations in exons 5-9 of the gene.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that the molecular mechanisms by which the young individuals with no risk factors had altered p53 function in oral squamous cell carcinoma may differ from those of the more typical population of individuals who have this malignancy develop.
Lingen
M W
MW
Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. MLingen@luc.edu
Chang
K W
KW
McMurray
S J
SJ
Solt
D B
DB
Kies
M S
MS
Mittal
B B
BB
Haines
G K
GK
Pelzer
H J
HJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005091:Exons; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D016158:Genes, p53 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor