Combined analysis of p53 and RB pathways in epithelial ovarian cancer

Disruptions of the p16-CDK4/cyclin D1-pRb pathway (RB pathway) and the p14ARF-MDM2-p53 pathway (p53 pathway) are important mechanisms in the development of human malignancies. In this study, we investigated RB and p53 pathways in 46 epithelial ovarian cancers (EOCs). In the RB pathway, 16 (34.8%) of 46 cases had p16 gene alterations or loss of expression. The deletion of the p16 gene was a rare event. In 7 cases, we observed methylation in the 5'CpG island in the promoter region of the p16 gene. Abnormal expressions of pRb and CDK4/cyclin D1 were 10.9% and 30.4%, respectively. In the p53 pathway, 10 (21.7%) of 46 cases had p14ARF gene alterations or abnormal expression. In 4 cases, methylation in the 5'CpG island in the promoter region of the p14ARF gene was present. MDM2 overexpression was a rare event. Thirty-six (78.3%) of 46 patients had p53 gene alterations or expression. In our studied cases, p14ARF abnormalities were independent of p16 abnormalities. Abnormal RB and p53 pathways were present in 60.9% and 80.4% of cases, respectively. In conclusion, disruptions of p53 and RB pathways are frequent events and the inverse correlations were present between the abnormality of p16 and p14ARF in EOCs.