Background & objective: The p53 codon 72 polymorphism affects human papillomavirus (HPV) E6-mediated degradation of p53. This study was to investigate distribution of p53 polymorphism in Guangdong women, and relationship between p53 polymorphism and tumorigenesis of cervical cancer.
Methods: Cervical smears of 46 patients with cervical cancer (case group), and 84 patients with benign gynecologic tumor (control group) treated in our hospital from Sept. 2002 to May 2003 were collected. DNA, extracted from cervical smears,were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of HPV DNA and p53 codon 72 polymorphism.
Results: Positive rate of HPV DNA in case group was 47.8%, in control group was 20.2%. Proportions of genotypes Arg/Arg, Pro/Pro, and Arg/Pro in case group were 56.5%, 21.7%,and 21.7%, respectively; in control group were 71.4%,20.2%, and 8.3%,respectively. There were no significant differences in proportions of Arg/Arg (OR,0.520; 95% CI,0.245-1.102), and Arg/Pro (OR, 1.095; 95% CI,0.454-2.639) between 2 groups; proportion of Pro/Pro in case group was significantly higher than control group (OR, 3.056; 95% CI,1.076-8.678), but no significant difference was found in women with HPV infection.
Conclusion: Arg/Arg genotype is not a high-risk factor for cervical cancer in Chinese population, and individuals with Pro/Pro genotype are likely to develop cervical cancer.