Over-expression of P⁵³ mutant protein in meibomian gland carcinoma

By using SP immunohistochemical method, we studied the expression of P⁵³ protein in paraffin blocks of 17 cases of meibomian gland carcinoma and their adjacent margo palpebrae tissues. The results of immunostaining showed that 12 cases (71%) of meibomian gland carcinoma were positive. In 7 cases of differentiated type, 6 cases were positive. No significant difference was found on the expression of P⁵³ protein between primary and metastatic sites in 3 paired samples of meibomian gland carcinoma. The expression of P⁵³ protein were strong positive in 5 cases adjacent margo palpebrae in which there were dysplastic squamous epithelium in the base. The results suggest that anti-oncogene P53 may be one of genetic events which occur often in the development of meibomian gland carcinoma and it was presented apparently in carcinoma of differentiated type. The abnormal of P⁵³ gene had occurred before the lymph node metastasis of tumor. Over-expression of P⁵³ proteinhas deep significance in abnormal prolifertion of adjacent epithelium tissues.