title: Expression of p21WAF in salivary gland mucoepidermoid carcinoma and its relation to histologic grade.
abstract: The biologic behavior and factors influencing the development of salivary gland mucoepidermoid carcinoma are not fully understood. Alteration of the cyclin-dependant kinase inhibitor p21(WAF) could cause uncontrolled proliferation leading to cancer. Thirty-five mucoepidermoid carcinomas were graded and immunohistochemically stained for p21(WAF). The percentage of positive tumor cells was determined using an eyepiece graticule and a computer-assisted image analyzer, which revealed 8.6% and 22.9% of the cases to be positive for p21(WAF), respectively. A statistically significant correlation was not observed between p21(WAF) and grading. Considering the absence of p21(WAF) expression in most mucoepidermoid carcinomas, it appears that the inhibitory effect of p21(WAF) on cell growth is removed in most cases. Given the lack of correlation with tumor grade, it is possible that the impact of p21(WAF) is in the earlier stages of tumorigenesis. A p53-independent pathway of p21(WAF) induction may exist for the small proportion of tumors that showed positivity.
authors.affiliation: Dental Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. shahrooetemad@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Shahroo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Etemad-Moghadam
authors.forename: Fereshteh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baghaee
authors.forename: Farrokh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tirgary
authors.forename: Pouria
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Motahhary
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khalili
authors.forename: Nosratollah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eshghyar
authors.forename: Mojgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alaedini
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eslami
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D018277:Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21