p53 expression in Reed-Sternberg cells of Hodgkin's disease.

Mutation of the p53 protein may represent the commonest genetic event in human malignancy. Abnormal p53 expression has been reported in a variety of carcinomas, sarcomas and lymphoid neoplasms; however there is little information in relation to Hodgkin's disease. The expression of the nuclear phosphoprotein was investigated in paraffin-embedded biopsies from fifty patients with Hodgkin's disease using a polyclonal antibody, CM-1 and in snap-frozen material with monoclonal antibodies, PAb 1801 and PAb 240. Specifically, immunoreactivity was localised to the Reed-Sternberg cells or mononuclear variants in both nodular sclerosing (86% cases) and mixed cellularity (57% cases) subtypes of Hodgkin's disease. However, no positive staining was found in our cases of nodular lymphocyte predominant type Hodgkin's disease. Serial biopsies following recurrence of disease demonstrated consistent results. It is suggested that overexpression of p53, probably mutant, may have a role in the tumorigenesis of Hodgkin's disease.