The expression of PCNA and p~(53)and their correlation in ovarian epithelial tumors

To investigate the biological significance of the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and tumor supperssor gene p53in ovarian carcinogenesis.Methods Using inmmunohistochemical techniques(ABC),PCNA and p53protein were detected in 71 samples including 5 normal ovaries,21 benign cystadenoma, 10 borderline tumors and 35malignant neoplasms(22 serous carcinomas and 13 mucinous carcinomas).Results PCNA labelling index(LI)gradually increased from normal epithelia to cystadenoma and borderline tumor and carcinoma, there were significant difference(P0.05 and P0.01) between each groups. Expression of p53protein was only observed in ovarian carcinomas. The frequancy of p53expression in serous type was significantly higher than that in mucinous carcinoma (P0.05). The difference of PCNA LIbetween p53postive carcinoma and p53-negative carcinom, but there was a linar correlation between the p53LI and PCNA LI(P 0.01).In addition,PCNA LI and p53LI were well correlated with grade of the carcinomas.Conclusions p53LI and PCNA LI were effective biomarkers, which can reflect the biological characteristics of ovarian epithelial tumors, and p53LI was well correlated with PCNA LI.