NO MUTATIONS WITHIN CONSERVED DOMAIN-I OF THE P53 GENE IN MEDULLARY-THYROID CANCER

Abnormal mobility shifts in single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP)-analysis of exons 2 and 3 of the p53 gene in 2 out of 5 medulla ry thyroid cancers (MTC) prompted us to sequence the corresponding gen omic region spanning codons 9-32. We found no mutations of the conserv ed domain I in the two MTCs that had previously shown mobility shifts, nor in a third MTC case indicating wild-type p53 (in this region). Ho wever, we detected a polymorphism consisting of a GC to CG transversio n in intron 2 in two of the primary MTCs and one associated blood samp le. In addition, we report on a deviation of the published sequence of intron 2 affecting positions 11817-8 and 11874, seen in 7/7 samples a nalyzed. Our findings corroborate the hypothesis, that MTC carcinogene sis does not require p53 mutations (Yana et al, Jpn J Cancer Res 1992) .