[Study on the correlation between the expression of protein p53 at stage III nasopharyngeal carcinoma and its biological behavior, prognosis, p53 gene mutation and the expression of LMP-1].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate p53 protein expression at stage III nasopharyngeal differentiated non-keratinizing squamous carcinoma (DNKSC) and their correlation with biological behavior and prognosis;the relationship between p53 protein expression and p53 gene mutation and LMP-1 protein expression at 58 cases of stage III DNKSC.


METHODS
Immunohistochemistry (Envision) was applied to detect p53 protein and LMP-1 protein expression. Non-isotopic PCR-SSCP was used to detect p53 gene mutation.


RESULTS
The p53 protein expression showed general positive rates of 65.5% (38/58) in the patients with nasopharyngeal DNKSC, being significantly higher in the group surviving less than 5 years 82.1% (32/39) than in the group surviving longer than 5 years 31.6% (6/19) (P < 0.05). Besides, it was closely correlated with the local invasion to the cranial base, there was a significant difference between invasion 74.4% (29/39) and non-invasion 47.4% (9/19) (P < 0.05). The expression of LMP-1 protein rated 72.4% (42/58), exhibiting a positive correlation with the expression of p53 protein (r = 0.504). The p53 gene mutation was found in none of the cases (0/15).


CONCLUSIONS
In stage III nasopharyngeal DNKSC, the expression of p53 protein is not related to p53 gene mutation, whereas it relates to the expression of LMP-1 protein. Declined expression of p53 protein is closely related to the time of survival, and the p53 protein expression is higher in the invasive carcinoma.
Xu
S
S
Department of Pathology, Medical College of Guiyang, Guiyang 550004, China.
Zhang
W
W
D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*
C037662:EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins