The relationship between human papillomavirus and p53 gene in conjunctivalsquamous cell carcinoma

Purpose. The p53 tumor-suppressor gene has been documented to exist in muta ted forms in many types of squamous cell carcinoma in the body. Also in con junctival squamous cell carcinoma, human papillomavirus (HPV) is accepted a s an oncogenic factor. The objective of our study was to establish a correl ation between p53 overexpression and the presence of HPV infection within t umor tissues from patients with conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma. Metho ds. Tissue sections obtained from paraffin-embedded conjunctival squamous c ell carcinoma specimens from 23 patients were examined with light microscop y, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and immunohistochemistry. Results. Seve nty-eight percent of tumors were positive for p53, whereas 22% were positiv e for HPV. The proportion of patients positive for both p53 and HPV was 17% , whereas another 17% of the patients were negative for both p53 and HPV. T herefore no significant disproportion was found in the distribution of pati ents' HPV status and p53 status(p = 1.00). No significant correlation or li near association was-found between the HPV status and p53 status (r = 0.022 ; p = 0.920). Conclusion. We could not show any statistical association bet ween abnormal p53 gene-product expression by immunohistochemistry in conjun ctival squamous cell carcinomas and HPV infection by PCR detection techniqu es.