The expression of the p53 protein in photodamaged skin from the face,
forearm and neck of 18 subjects was compared to non-exposed skin taken
at autopsy from the abdomens of 9 subjects of the same age. Paraffin
sections and the polyclonal antibody CM1 were used with the ABC techni
que. The p53 protein was expressed iu the nuclei of keratinocytes in 7
of the 18 samples obtained from sun-exposed skin and in 1 of 9 sample
s from non-exposed skin. The expression in sun-exposed skin can be due
either to its overexpression due to DNA damage or to the appearance o
f mutant forms.