TP53 codon 72 polymorphism in classic, endemic and epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma in African and Caucasian patients.
OBJECTIVE
Several studies have examined the association of codon 72 polymorphism of the TP53 gene, encoding either arginine or proline, in several tumor types but none have investigated its role in Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) development.


METHODS
In this prevalent case-control study, 67 cutaneous lesions of classic, iatrogenic, endemic as well as epidemic KS from African (n = 22) and Caucasian (n = 45) patients, and blood samples from 150 healthy controls (n = 57 African, n = 93 Caucasian) have been analyzed for arginine and proline allele distribution.


RESULTS
Among African cases the proline homozygous, heterozygous and arginine homozygous genotype frequencies were 50.0, 31.8 and 18.2%, respectively, and among controls 54.4, 40.3, and 5.3%, respectively (p = 0.1872). Conversely, among Caucasian cases genotype distributions were 6.7, 55.6, and 37.8%, and among controls 7.5, 34.4, and 58.1%, respectively (p = 0.0567). No significant differences in arginine and proline allele distribution were observed when the cases were stratified by HIV status/tumor type.


CONCLUSIONS
The results obtained in this study suggest that p53 polymorphism at codon 72 does not represent a risk factor for the development of all forms of KS, either among African or among Caucasian populations.
Tornesello
Maria Lina
ML
Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology and AIDS Reference Centre, National Cancer Institute Fondazione Pascale, Naples, Italy.
Biryahwaho
Bennon
B
Downing
Robert
R
Hatzakis
Angelo
A
Alessi
Elvio
E
Cusini
Marco
M
Ruocco
Vincenzo
V
Katongole-Mbidde
Edward
E
Buonaguro
Luigi
L
Buonaguro
Franco M
FM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044383:Black People / Q000235:genetics*; D003062:Codon; D005260:Female; D016158:Genes, p53; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics*; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics*
D003062:Codon