title: TP53 codon 72 polymorphism in classic, endemic and epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma in African and Caucasian patients.
abstract: 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.
authors: Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology and AIDS Reference Centre, National Cancer Institute Fondazione Pascale, Naples, Italy.
authors: Maria Lina
authors: ML
authors: Tornesello
authors: Bennon
authors: B
authors: Biryahwaho
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Downing
authors: Angelo
authors: A
authors: Hatzakis
authors: Elvio
authors: E
authors: Alessi
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Cusini
authors: Vincenzo
authors: V
authors: Ruocco
authors: Edward
authors: E
authors: Katongole-Mbidde
authors: Luigi
authors: L
authors: Buonaguro
authors: Franco M
authors: FM
authors: Buonaguro
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D003062:Codon