Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), p53 and MDM2 expression in Hodgkins disease.
OBJECTIVE
Tumor cells in Hodgkins disease (HD) express cell proliferation markers that are evaluated according to the oncogenes involved or the expression of their proteins. Correlations between the protein expression grade and clinical data are now important for disease prognosis.


METHODS
This was a retrospective analysis on proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), p53 and MDM2 (murine double minute-2) expression using immunohistochemistry, on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from diagnostic biopsies on 51 patients with HD. The study was conducted at the Division of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, Hospital São Paulo, Universidade Federal de São Paulo.


METHODS
Antigen expression was evaluated as the proportions of positive Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells and reactive lymphocytes (L), which were compared using Spearman correlation coefficients. The Friedman test was used for comparisons between the markers. The Pearson test was used to investigate associations between marker expression and clinical and laboratory parameters, marrow involvement, complete remission (CR) and overall survival (OS) rates.


RESULTS
There was overexpression of antigen proteins in HRS, in relation to L (p < 0.001). In HRS, MDM2 was higher than p53 and PCNA (p < 0.003), while the latter two were equivalent. In L, p53 was lower than MDM2 and PCNA (p < 0.001), while the latter two were equivalent. There was no relationship between protein expression and clinical and laboratory variables or outcome.


CONCLUSIONS
PCNA, p53 and MDM2 are tumor markers for HD, but showed no clinical or prognostic significance in our analysis.
Pinheiro
Gevina Silva
GS
Division of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, Hospital São Paulo, Brazil.
Silva
Maria Regina Régis
MR
Rodrigues
Celso Arrais
CA
Kerbauy
José
J
de Oliveira
José Salvador Rodrigues
JS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D051736:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2 / Q000032:analysis*; D016539:Reed-Sternberg Cells / Q000737:chemistry; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis*
D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C497206:MDM2 protein, human; D051736:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2