Accumulation of wild-type p53 protein in astrocytomas is not mediated by MDM2 gene amplification
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston (United States) Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (United States)
The authors have previously described ten cases of astrocytoma (three WHO grade II, four grade III and four grade IV) with seemingly contradictory results on immunohistochemical analysis of the p53 protein and molecular genetic analysis of the p53 gene. Fixed, embedded tissues from these cases were immunohistochemically positive with the PAb 1801 antibody, which supposedly implies the presence of mutant protein. These ten cases, however, did not have mutations in exons 5 through 8 of the p53 gene, the conserved regions in which almost all human mutations have been described. The authors suggested that these cases might either represent overexpression of wild-type p53 protein (since the PAb 1801 antibody reacts with both wild-type and mutant p53 protein) or mutations in less conserved regions of the gene. To investigate these possibilities further, they performed single strand conformational polymorphism analysis and DNA sequencing on p53 exons 4, 9 and 10 in the nine cases with available DNA, since rare mutations have been noted at these loci. None of the cases showed alterations, making it highly unlikely that these tumors harbor mutations in exons of the p53 gene. They also performed immunohistochemistry on frozen sections from seven available tumors, using the mutant-specific antibody PAb 240 in addition to PAb 1801. All tumors continued to show positive staining with PAb 1801, but only one tumor reacted with PAb 240. The results support the hypothesis that the accumulated p53 protein in most cases is wild-type. Because the product of the MDM2 oncogene can bind to wild-type p53 protein, and because MDM2 amplification has recently been demonstrated in human tumors, the authors evaluated MDM2 amplification in the nine astrocytomas with available DNA. Using slot blot analysis with a 96-base pair, PCR-generated probe to the first exon of the MDM2 gene, they were unable to show MDM2 gene amplification in these tumors or in other assayed astrocytomas.
- OSTI ID:
- 6029633
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9306208--
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology; (United States) Vol. 52:3; ISSN JNENAD; ISSN 0022-3069
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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