Expression of p53 in endometrial polyps with special reference to the p53 signature

We herein examined the significance of the p53 expression in endometrial polyps (EMPs). A total of 133 EMPs, including 62 premenopausal and 71 postmenopausal women with EMP, were immunohistochemically studied for the expression of estrogen receptor (ER)-alpha, Ki-67 and p53. Apoptotic cells were identified using a TUNEL assay. A DNA sequence analysis of TP53 exons 5 to 9 was performed. Among the premenopausal EMPs, a multivariate analysis showed the labeling index (LI) for Ki-67 to correlate significantly with that for p53 (P<0.001), but not that for apoptosis. On the contrary, among the postmenopausal EMPs, the LI for Ki-67 correlated significantly with that for apoptosis (P<0.001). The p53 signature (p53S) was defined by endometrial epithelial cells, which are morphologically benign in appearance but display 12 or more consecutive epithelial cell nuclei with strong p53 immunostaining. The p53S was found in nine (12.7%) postmenopausal EMPs (mean age: 70.2 years). The median Ki-67 index for the p53S was 7%, with no significant difference from that of the glands of the postmenopausal EMPs without the p53S (P=0.058). The median apoptotic index for the p53S was 0%, which was significantly lower than that of the postmenopausal EMPs without the p53S (P=0.002). Two of four p53Ss showed TP53 mutations according to the DNA sequence analysis. The presence of the p53S is not rare in postmenopausal EMPs with an advanced age. Among postmenopausal EMPs, the LI of Ki-67 significantly correlates with that of apoptosis. However, such a positive correlation between the LI of Ki-67 and apoptosis is not observed in p53S.