title: P53 and expression of immunological markers may identify early stage thyroid tumors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Besides its major role in cell proliferation, DNA repair, and apoptosis, functional p53 protein is involved in the induction of antitumor cytotoxic-T-cell activity against carcinoma cells. We aimed to investigate p53 and immune cell markers utility as diagnostic and prognostic markers of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC).
  
  
  METHODS
  ACIS-III system was used to evaluate p53 and immune cell markers including tumor-associated macrophages (TAM); CD68 and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) subsets such as CD3, CD4, CD8, and CD20 in 206 thyroid carcinomas, 105 benign nodules, and 18 normal tissues. Also, TP53 was sequenced in 78 out of 164 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  P53 expression was observed more frequently in malignant than in benign lesions (P < 0.0001) and helped discriminate follicular patterned lesions. In addition, p53 was more frequent in smaller (P = 0.0015), unique tumors (P = 0.0286), with thyroiditis (P = 0.0486) and without metastasis at diagnosis (P = 0.0201). TAM was more frequent in P53 negative tumors (P = 0.002). Infiltration of CD8+ TIL was found in 61.7% of P53 positive and 25.6% of P53 negative DTC (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that p53 and CD8+ TIL immune profile analysis might be useful in DTC.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cancer Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medical Sciences (FCM), University of Campinas (Unicamp), Rua Tessalia Vieira de Camargo 126, Cidade Universitaria Zeferino Vaz, Campinas 13083-887, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marjory Alana
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Marcello
authors.forename: Elaine Cristina
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Morari
authors.forename: Lucas Leite
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.forename: Aline Carolina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: De Nadai Silva
authors.forename: Dirce Maria
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Carraro
authors.forename: André Lopes
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Fernando Augusto
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vassallo
authors.forename: Laura Sterian
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Ward
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010641:Phenotype; D011379:Prognosis; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53