Prognostic significance of cyclin E and p53 protein overexpression in carcinoma of the renal pelvis and ureter

• Published in: British journal of cancer Vol. 77; no. 5; pp. 783 - 788
• Main Authors: FURIHATA, M, OHTSUKI, Y, SONOBE, H, SHUIN, T, YAMAMOTO, A, TERAO, N, KUWAHARA, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basingstoke Nature Publishing Group 01-03-1998
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers, Tumor - biosynthesis; Biomarkers, Tumor - genetics; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell - genetics; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell - metabolism; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell - mortality; Cell Cycle; Cohort Studies; Cyclin E - biosynthesis; Cyclin E - genetics; Female; Humans; Kidney Pelvis; Life Tables; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Proteins - biosynthesis; Neoplasm Proteins - genetics; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; Prognosis; Survival Analysis; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 - biosynthesis; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 - genetics; Tumors of the urinary system; Ureteral Neoplasms - genetics; Ureteral Neoplasms - metabolism; Ureteral Neoplasms - mortality; Urinary tract. Prostate gland; Arterial disease; Kidney disease; Human; Prognosis; Renal pelvis; p53 Protein; Cyclin; Ureteral disease; Malignant tumor; Urinary tract disease; Transitional cell carcinoma; Ureter
• ISSN: 0007-0920; 1532-1827
• DOI: 10.1038/bjc.1998.127

Cyclin E gene alteration in the cell cycle plays an important role in carcinogenesis, while p53 protein affects different phase checkpoint pathways by activating p21WAF1/CIP1 in the normal cell cycle. We immunohistochemically examined the expression of cyclin E and p53 proteins in 121 patients with transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the renal pelvis and ureter to determine their significance for tumour behaviour and patient prognosis. Cyclin E and p53 immunostaining of the nucleus was observed in 36 tumours (29.8%) and 35 tumours (28.9%) respectively. A significant percentage, 69.4% (25 out of 36 tumours), of the cyclin E-positive tumours exhibited simultaneous labelling for p53 (P < 0.05). Mirror-section technique was performed in five selected double-positive tumours to identify cancer cells that were nuclei positive for both cyclin E and p53. The prevalence of cases simultaneously exhibiting both cyclin E and p53 immunostaining was higher in the high-grade tumours (P < 0.01) than in the other types of tumours. Patients with TCCs coexpressing cyclin E and p53 had a significantly poorer prognosis than those expressing neither cyclin E nor p53 (P < 0.001). These in vivo findings provide evidence for cyclin E protein overexpression in TCCs intimately associated with p53 alteration and suggest that simultaneous overexpression of both cyclin E and p53 is related to tumour behaviour and poor prognosis.