Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026
Therapy Testing in a Spheroid-based 3D Cell Culture Model for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: April 20, 2018
Modulation of expression of p53 and cell proliferation in locally advanced cervical carcinoma after neoadjuvant
G G Garzetti1, A Ciavattini, G Lucarini
1Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Università degli Studi di Ancona, Italy.
Objective:
In the present study, we investigated changes of p53 expression and the cell proliferation index detected with MIB 1 in tumors before and after neoadjuvant combination chemotherapy with respect to the outcome of the disease. Our aim was to define more appropriately the significance of chemotherapy in locally advanced cervical carcinoma.
Materials And Methods:
Our study included 17 women with locally advanced squamous cervical carcinoma who had been admitted to the Institute of Gynecology and Obstetrics Ancona University, between January 1990 and December 1994. The patients received neoadjuvant combination chemotherapy consisting of three cycles of cisplatin (80 mg/m2) and bleomycin (30 mg/m2). After chemotherapy, radical surgery was performed. Bioptic specimens were obtained from cervical tumors before and after chemotherapy and processed for immunohistochemical staining with a monoclonal antibody against p53 and with the monoclonal antibody MIB 1.
Results:
Thirteen patients (76.5%) showed a clinical response (4 complete and 9 partial), while of the remaining 4 cases (23.5%) 3 had no change and 1 showed progression after neoadjuvant combination chemotherapy. A significant relationship was observed between the overexpression of p53 and the sensitivity to chemotherapy; responder patients showed a higher frequency of p53 positive cells than non-responders (P = 0.03). No significant relationship with MIB 1 index was observed. Both expression of p53 protein (P < 0.001) and reaction with MIB 1 (P = 0.003) significantly decreased after chemotherapy. The decrease in expression of p53 protein and staining with antibody MIB 1 was particularly evident in patients who responded to chemotherapy.
Discussion:
In tumors, p53 protein and index of proliferating cells as determined with MIB 1 showed a significant modulation after treatment, suggesting an association with sensitivity to chemotherapy. However, the limited number of our series of patients does not permit a statement on the clinical implication of expression of p53 and cell proliferation in patients undergoing neoadjuvant combination chemotherapy for locally advanced cervical carcinoma.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Negative Regulator Molecules
02:23Abnormal Proliferation
01:19Interactions Between Signaling Pathways
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...