Expression and significance of p53 and mdm2 in patients with leukoplakia cancer

Abstract Objective To study the relationship of the expressions of p53 and mdm2 in leukoplakia cancer. Methods RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA of p53, mdm2 in patients with leukoplakia cancer. The frequencies of p53, mdm2 in peripheral blood were detected by flow cytometric analysis. Results The expression of p53mRNA in normal oral mucosa, simple oral leukoplakia, no-simple oral leukoplakia and leukoplakia cancer were 7.7%, 27.3%,33.3%, 56.8%, respectively. The frequencies of p53 in normal oral mucosa, simple oral leukoplakia, no-simple oral leukoplakia and leukoplakia cancer were (0.3±0.1)%, (1.6±0.9)%, (1.9±1.1)%, (3.4±1.8)%. The expression of mdm2 mRNA in normal oral mucosa, simple oral leukoplakia, no-simple oral leukoplakia and leukoplakia cancer were 0.0%, 6.8%, 11.1%, 37.8%, respectively. The frequencies of mdm2 in normal oral mucosa, simple oral leukoplakia, no-simple oral leukoplakia and leukoplakia cancer were (0.1±0.1)%, (0.8±0.6)%, (1.2±0.8)%, (1.2±0.8)%. There was a positively correlation between p53 mRNA and mdm2 mRNA. Conclusions The positive rate of p53 and mdm2 cells in the peripheral blood increases in patients with leukoplakia cancer tissue and has positive correlation with the severity of leukoplakia cancer.