Absence of p51 mutation in human hepatocellular carcinoma

The p51 gene encodes a protein with significant homology to p53. To investi gate the involvement of the p51 gene in human hepatocarcinogenesis, mutatio n analysis of the p51 gene was performed in 54 cases of hepatocellular carc inoma (HCC). No mutations causing amino acid substitutions or frameshifts w ere found by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformational polymor phism (PCR-SSCP) analysis of the entire coding region. The result indicated that mutation of the p51 gene does not play a major role in the developmen t of HCC in Japanese patients. Further studies on p51 expression and its fu nctions, including the interaction with p53, are necessary to elucidate the role of the p51 gene in human hepatocarcinogenesis. (C) 2000 Elsevier Scie nce Ireland Ltd, All rights reserved.