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Amplification of the mdm‐2 gene and p53 abnormalities in uterine sarcomas
Author(s) -
Seki Akihiko,
Kodama Junichi,
Miyagi Yasunari,
Kamimura Shigehito,
Yoshinouchi Mitsuo,
Kudo Takafumi
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0215(19970926)73:1<33::aid-ijc6>3.0.co;2-2
Subject(s) - medicine , gene , biology , pathology , sarcoma , cancer research , genetics
The aim of this study is to address the role of mdm‐2 ‐gene amplification in the tumorigenesis of uterine sarcomas. Differential PCR with DNA from formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded specimens was employed in 12 patients with uterine sarcomas. We detected mdm‐2 ‐gene amplification in 4 out of 12 uterine sarcomas. The estimated copy number of the mdm‐2 gene ranged from 4 to 13. Positive cases included 1 leiomyosarcoma and 3 carcinosarcomas, however, there was no correlation between mdm‐2 ‐gene amplification and clinicopathological characteristics. Over‐expression of p53 protein was also immunohistochemically studied in the same series of patients: 4 out of 8 carcinosarcomas displayed p53 immunoreactivity. Taking these results together, only one carcinosarcoma was found to have both mdm‐2 ‐gene amplification and p53 over‐expression. In contrast, half of the patients were found to have alterations either of mdm‐2 or of p53. These findings support the notion that mdm‐2 ‐gene amplification might be an alternative mechanism for escaping from the regulatory pathway of p53 to suppress cell growth. Int. J. Cancer 73:33–37, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.