Correlation of p53, MDM2 and p14(ARF) protein expression in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the interrelationships of p53, MDM2, and p14(ARF) protein expression in primary esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and their prognostic value in ESCC.


METHODS
In total, 119 patients treated for ESCC with esophagectomy were enrolled in this study. Demographic and clinical data including gender, age, depth of tumor invasion, lymph node involvement, and 5-year survival rate were collected by chart review. p53, MDM2, and p14(ARF) were detected immunohistochemically in the resected tumors to evaluate their usefulness as biomarkers of clinical outcome.


RESULTS
p53, MDM2, and p14(ARF) were expressed in 61 (51.3%), 34 (28.6%), and 22 (18.5%) of 119 tumor specimens, respectively. Overall, p53 protein expression was positively correlated with MDM2 (P = 0.024) and p14(ARF) expression (P = 0.026). In addition, p14(ARF) expression was most often found in specimens that were positive for both p53 and MDM2. Changes in the p53, MDM2, and p14(ARF) protein levels were not correlated with 5-year survival rate.


CONCLUSIONS
Expression of p53 protein correlates with increased MDM2 and p14(ARF) protein levels in ESCC. In addition, status of p53 (wild-type versus mutant) rather than expression level of p53, MDM2, or p14(ARF) is likely to be the more critical determinant of clinical outcome.
Cheng
Tzu-Hao
TH
Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Hsu
Po-Kuei
PK
Li
Anna Fen-Yau
AF
Hung
I-Chun
IC
Huang
Min-Hsiung
MH
Hsu
Han-Shui
HS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D016158:Genes, p53; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051736:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D025803:Tumor Suppressor Protein p14ARF / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology
D025803:Tumor Suppressor Protein p14ARF; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C497206:MDM2 protein, human; D051736:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2