p53, mdm2, and p21 expression in oral squamous cell carcinomas: relationship with clinicopathologic factors.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to clarify the correlation of expression of cell cycle-associated gene proteins with clinicopathologic factors in oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).


METHODS
Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues from 69 oral SCC cases and 10 normal mucosa cases were stained by immunohistochemistry (IHC) for p53, mdm 2, and p21 proteins.


RESULTS
We found p53, mdm 2, and p21 expression in 44 of 69 (63.8%), 25 of 69 (36.2%), and 37 of 69 (53.6%) oral SCCs, respectively. Ki-67-labeling index of combined p53(+)/mdm 2(+) expression cases was significantly higher than those that lacked combined expression (P =.004). Combined p53(+)/p21(+) expression showed a significant association with lymph node metastasis (P =.019). In survival analysis, combined p53(+)/p21(+) and p53(+)/mdm 2(+)/p21(+) expression was associated with poor clinical outcome (P =.018 and.012, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Combined p53/mdm 2 expression was associated with tumor proliferation in oral SCC. Combined p53/p21 and p53/mdm 2/p21 expression may be a predictive factor in lymph node metastasis.
Yanamoto
Souichi
S
Department of Developmental and Reconstructive Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan. syana@net.nagasaki-u.ac.jp
Kawasaki
Goro
G
Yoshitomi
Izumi
I
Mizuno
Akio
A
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051736:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C497206:MDM2 protein, human; D051736:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2