p53 Expression in Malignant Melanoma and Melanocytic Nevus.
- Author:
Jun Sung YANG
1
;
Young Soo CHAE
;
Kee suck SUH
;
Sang Tae KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Kosin University, Pusan, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
p53 protein;
Immunohistochemisty;
Melanocytic nevus;
Melanoma
- MeSH:
Genes, p53;
Humans;
Melanoma*;
Neoplasm Metastasis;
Nevus, Pigmented*;
Peroxidase;
Skin Neoplasms
- From:Korean Journal of Dermatology
1998;36(4):602-608
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: The p53 gene mutations are the most frequent genetic alterations found in human skin cancer. However, many studies on the expression of p53 protein in human melanoma and melanocytic nevus have been controversial. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate the differences in p53 protein expression associated with tumor thickness variance, subtypes and, benign and malignant melanocytic tumors. METHODS: Immunohistochemical analysis of p53 protein was performed on the formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections of 22 melanocytic nevi and 29 malignant melanomas(20 primary and 9 metastatic) using anti-p53 monoclonal antibody with an avidin-biotin peroxidase complex procedure. RESULTS: 1. Mutant p53 protein was detected in 55.2%(16/29) of malignant melanomas, whereas mutant p53 protein was not detected in melanocytic nevi.(p<0.05) 2. Metastatic malignant melanoma(8/9, 88.9%) showed a significantly higher p53 protein detection rate compared to primary malignant melanoma.(8/20, 40.0%) (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The detection rate of p53 protein was higher in malignant melanoma compared to melanocytic nevus. This finding suggests that p53 may play a significant role in the progression and metastasis of malignant melanoma.
