title: Plasma 249Ser p53 mutation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma residing in a high risk area.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate plasma p53 mutation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients from Qidong and to define its significance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples from 25 hepatocellular carcinoma patients, 20 cirrhotic patients and 30 healthy controls in Qidong area. DNA was extracted and purified from 200 microl of plasma from each sample. The 249(Ser) p53 mutation was detected by restriction digestion analysis and by direct sequencing of exon-7 PCR products.
  
  
  RESULTS
  G-->T transversion at the third base of 249 codon resulting in 249(Arg)-->249(Ser) mutation in exon 7 of p53 gene were found in 11/25(44%) hepatocellular carcinoma cases, 4/20 (20%) cirrhotics, and 2/30 (7%) healthy controls (p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data show that the 249(Ser) p53 mutation in plasma is strongly associated with hepatocellular carcinoma patients in Qidong area and the mutation should be screened as a new early diagnostic marker for HCC.
authors.affiliation: The College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China [corrected]. ludondon88@163.com
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dong-Dong
authors.forename: Zhang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xi-Ran
mesh_terms: D016604:Aflatoxin B1 / Q000633:toxicity; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D002681:China; D003062:Codon; D016158:Genes, p53; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D017354:Point Mutation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012694:Serine / Q000235:genetics*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D003062:Codon; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D012694:Serine; D016604:Aflatoxin B1