title: [Expressions of p53 pathway genes and EZH2 in undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between the expressions of p53 pathway genes and EZH2 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression levels of p53, mdm2, p63 and EZH2 proteins were detected by immunohistochemistry in 47 cases of undifferentiated NPC and 12 cases of chronic nasopharyngitis, and their correlation to the clinical parameters and prognosis were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The protein expressions of p53, mdm2, p63 and EZH2 in NPC were 31.9%, 85.1%, and 95.7%, respectively. mdm2 and EZH2 was not correlated to p53 protein expression (P>0.05); positive correlations was found between EZH2 and p63 expressions and between p53 and p63. The high expression of EZH2 and p63 proteins was correlated to advanced T stage and clinical stage of NPC (P<0.05). The five-year disease-free survival rate in patients with high EZH2 protein expression was significantly lower than that in patients with low EZH2 expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  mdm2 does not show an obvious correlation to p53 protein inactivation in NPC. p63 protein overexpression may be associated with p53 protein inactivation. The overexpression of EZH2 is correlated to NPC progression and poor prognosis.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510080, China. sdlxdlxd@163.com
authors.forename: Xiao-dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ming-fang
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Ji
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma; D000071221:Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 Protein; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D063151:Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D051736:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C495901:TP53 protein, human; C115051:TP63 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; C498409:EZH2 protein, human; D000071221:Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 Protein; D063151:Polycomb Repressive Complex 2; C497206:MDM2 protein, human; D051736:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2