Expressions and clinical significance of p16, p15 proteins and PCNA in uterine cervical carcinoma

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the expressions of p16, p15 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) proteins in primary cervical carcinomas and its clinical significance. METHODS: The expressions of p15, p16 and PCNA proteins in 41 cases of cervical carcinomas and 30 cases of normal cervical tissues were detected by the supersensitive ElivisionTM immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: 1)p16 and p15 positive expression rates in cervical carcinomas [14.63%(6/41) and 17.07%(7/41)] were significantly lower than those in normal cervixes [100%(30/30) and 96.67%(29/30),χ2=8.834, P=0.003]; 2)p16 and p15 expressions were correlated with the differentiation state and pathologic grades, the positive expression rates of p16, p15 in the cervical carcinomas of grades I [28.57%(4/14), 28.57%(4/14)] was significantly higher than those in the cervical carcinomas of grades Ⅱ [18.75%(3/16), 12.50%(2/16),χ2=6.069,P=0.014,χ2=6.069,P=0.014], and grades Ⅲ [9.09%(1/11),9.09%(1/11),χ2=7.86,P=0.005];3)The positive rates [95.12%(39/41)] and positive cells [(47.97±8.69)%] of PCNA in the cervical carcinomas were significantly higher than those in normal cervix [3.33%(1/30), (3.56±0.53)%],χ2=10.773, P=0.001, and varied significantly among different grades. CONCLUSIONS: There are expressive deletions of p16 and p15 proteins in primary cervical carcinoma.Both descended expressions of p16, p15 and the overexpression of PCNA may play important roles in the tumour genesis, progression and malignant behavior in cervical carcinomas.The detection of p16, p15 proteins and PCNA can be used to evaluate malignant degree and prognosis of the cervical carcinoma.