Proliferative activity and p53 expression in primary and recurrent pterygia.
OBJECTIVE
To assess p53 expression and proliferative activity in primary and recurrent pterygia from the same eyes.


METHODS
Retrospective comparative human tissue study.


METHODS
Tissue from excised primary pterygia that did not recur (group A, n = 10) was compared with tissue from primary pterygia that recurred (group B, n = 10) and to the recurrent pterygia tissue that was excised from subjects in group B (group C, n = 10). Ten normal conjunctivas served as controls (group D).


METHODS
Sections from each pterygium were immunostained with the MIB-1 and bp53. 12 monoclonal antibodies that react with Ki-67 and p53 antigens, respectively.


METHODS
Proliferative activity was calculated as the mean of the MIB-1 positive cell count per eyepiece grid in high magnification (x40) (positive cell count/grid). Percentage of positive cells of all cells in the grid area was evaluated in the p53-stained sections.


RESULTS
Proliferative activity was found in the epithelium overlying the pterygia and normal conjunctiva. The mean MIB-1 positive cell count/grid +/- standard error was 2.84 +/- 1.07, 1.74 +/- 0.82, 3.83 +/- 1.35, and 0.86 +/- 0.33 in groups A, B, C, and D, respectively (P = 0.17, Kruskal-Wallis). P53 staining was found in 50% of pterygia in groups A, B, and C; none of the normal conjunctival tissues showed p53 immunoreactivity. Four of five p53-positive tissues in group B were p53-negative in group C. In the p53-positive pterygia, less than 10% of cells were p53 positive. However, p53-positive pterygia had higher mean MIB-1 positive cell count/grid +/- standard error as compared with the p53-negative lesions, 4.56 +/- 0.94 vs 1.39 +/- 0.59 (P = 0.021, Mann-Whitney).


CONCLUSIONS
p53 immunoreactivity and high proliferative activity in the epithelium overlying the pterygium are not associated with recurrence of pterygium.
Chowers
I
I
Department of Ophthalmology, Hadassah University Hospital and the Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
Pe'er
J
J
Zamir
E
E
Livni
N
N
Ilsar
M
M
Frucht-Pery
J
J
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D015415:Biomarkers; D002455:Cell Division; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011625:Pterygium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D015415:Biomarkers; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53