Brief Reports
Copyright ©2005 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. May 21, 2005; 11(19): 2998-3001
Published online May 21, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i19.2998
Mutations of p53 gene exons 4-8 in human esophageal cancer
Li-Ya Li, Jin-Tian Tang, Li-Qun Jia, Pei-Wen Li
Li-Ya Li, Li-Qun Jia, Pei-Wen Li, Department of Oncology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100029, China
Jin-Tian Tang, Institute of Medical Physics and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by Ministry of Science and Technology of the People´s Republic of China grants, No. 2003CA04200 and 2004CB720301; National Natural Science Foundation of China grant, No.10490195 and 30271465; Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission grant, No. H030230160130 and in part by a grant from Tsinghua University YUYUAN foundation
Correspondence to: Dr. Li-Ya Li, Department of Oncology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100029, China. tjt@263.net
Telephone: +86-10-64480373
Received: May 29, 2004
Revised: May 30, 2004
Accepted: July 6, 2004
Published online: May 21, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To characterize the tumor suppressor gene p53 mutations in exon 4, esophageal cancer and adjacent non-cancerous tissues.

METHODS: We performed p53 (exons 4-8) gene mutation analysis on 24 surgically resected human esophageal cancer specimens by PCR, single-strand conformation polymorphism, and DNA sequencing.

RESULTS: p53 gene mutations were detected in 9 of 22 (40.9%) esophageal cancer specimens and 10 of 17 (58.8%) adjacent non-cancerous tissues. Eight of sixteen (50.0%) point mutations detected were G–A transitions and 9 of 18 (50.0%) p53 gene mutations occurred in exon 4 in esophageal cancer specimens. Only 1 of 11 mutations detected was G-A transition and 4 of 11 (36.4%) p53 gene mutations occurred in exon 4 in adjacent non-cancerous tissues.

CONCLUSION: Mutation of p53 gene in exon 4 may play an important role in development of esophageal cancer. The observation of p53 gene mutation in adjacent non-cancerous tissues suggests that p53 gene mutation may be an early event in esophageal carcinogenesis. Some clinical factors, including age, sex, pre-operation therapy and location of tumors, do not influence p53 gene mutation rates.

Keywords: Gene p53, Esophageal cancer