P53 protein and its messenger ribonucleic acid in human adrenal tumors

The role of p53 tumor suppressor gene in the pathomechanism of adrenal tumo rs was investigated by measuring p53 protein and its messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) in 12 normal human adrenals as well as in 56 adrenal tumors (7 aldosterone-producing adenomas, 5 adrenocortical adenomas causing Gushing's syndrome, 19 nonhyperfunctioning adrenocortical adenomas, 5 adrenocortical carcinomas, 12 pheochromocytomas, 3 myelolipomas, 4 ganglioneuromas and I hemangioma). The p53 protein concentration was significantly increased in a ldosterone-producing adenomas (394+/-36 pg/mg cytosolic protein, mean+/-SE, vs 266+/-18 in normal human adrenals), whereas the concentration of this p rotein in Gushing's adenomas, non-hyperfunctioning adrenocortical adenomas, pheochromocytomas, and in all but one adrenocortical carcinomas was simila r to that measured in normal human adrenal tissues. One adrenocortical carc inoma tissue showed very high p53 protein content (3000 pg/mg cytosolic pro tein). By contrast, myelolipomas (23+/- 20) ganglioneuromas (43+/-15) and a hemangioma (11 pg/mg cytosolic protein) had very low p53 protlein content. Northern blot analysis revealed the presence of p53 mRNA in each adrenal t issue examined with highest levels in aldosterone-producing and Cushing's a denomas. It. is possible that the differences in p53 protein and/or mRNA co ntents reflect corresponding differences in the pathogenetic importance of p53 alterations in these types of adrenal tumors. (C) 1998, Editrice Kurtis .