MOLECULAR-GENETIC AND IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF THE TUMOR-SUPPRESSOR GENES RB AND P53 IN PALMAR AND AGGRESSIVE FIBROMATOSIS

This pilot project analyzed the tumor suppressor genes p53 and Rb in 1 3 cases of aggressive fibromatoses and six cases of palmar fibromatose s (Dupuytren contracture), Immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, polymerase chain reaction followed by sing le-strand confirmation polymorphism analysis, and Southern blot to det ect gene rearrangements were used. No abnormalities were detected in p 53, The aggressive fibromatoses demonstrated a lack of Rb immunohistoc hemical staining acid decreased mRNA for Rb. No structural mutation in the coding sequence of the Rb gene was detected. The decreased lever of Rb gene expression, de spite a normal coding sequence, may indicate increased proliferation and may suggest potential treatment schemes.