P53 GENE-MUTATIONS IN CHINESE HUMAN TESTICULAR SEMINOMA

Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid from 17 primary human testicular seminom as was screened for the presence of mutations in exons 5 to 8 of gene p53, using the single strand conformation polymorphism assay, followed by direct deoxyribonucleic acid sequencing. The p53 mutations in 1 al lele leading to an amino acid change but a normal (wild-type) sequence in the remaining allele were identified in 4 of 17 seminomas (23.5%). Sites of mutations were in exon 5 (codon 141), exon 7 (codon 238, cod on 258) and exon 8 (codon 270). The present study suggested that mutat ion of the p53 gene is involved in the development of human testicular seminoma as in the case of several other types of human cancers.