title: The co-expression of c-myc and p53 increases and reaches a plateau early in oral oncogenesis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The balance between cell proliferation and apoptosis plays a significant role in cancer development. The expressions of the p53 and c-myc genes, both strongly related to cell proliferation and apoptosis, were studied in sequential histological grades of oral carcinogenesis in an animal model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-seven hamsters were divided into three groups (A,B,C), which were treated with 9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene and sacrificed at 10,14 or 19 weeks, respectively, after treatment. The histological status of the oral lesions in the experimental groups corresponded well with tumour advancement (from dysplasia to moderately-differentiated carcinoma). Tumour sections were studied immunohistochemically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expressions of both p53 and c-myc increased significantly in precancer stages and then reached a plateau. The same pattern was observed in the animal groups with the culmination of expression of both genes in group A.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The coexpression of p53 and c-myc proteins in the earlier stages of oral oncogenesis may be used for the early detection of premalignant lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Athens Medical School, Mikras Asias 75, Athens 115 27, Greece.
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Papakosta
authors.forename: Eleftherios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vairaktaris
authors.forename: Antonis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vylliotis
authors.forename: Spyridoula
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Derka
authors.forename: Emeka
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nkenke
authors.forename: Stavros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vassiliou
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lazaris
authors.forename: Constantinos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mourouzis
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rallis
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spyridonidou
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anagnostopoulou
authors.forename: Despina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Perrea
authors.forename: Ismini
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Donta
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yapijakis
authors.forename: Efstratios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Patsouris
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D001706:Biopsy; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000502:physiology; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006224:Cricetinae; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53