[A hot-spot mutation of p53 gene in nasopharyngeal carcinoma].

Using DNA sequencing and immunohistochemical staining, p53 gene mutation and overexpression were investigated in 23 formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded specimens of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). All patients were from regions of low NPC incidence in China. Sequencing of exon 7 and exon 8, revealed p53 gene mutation in 15 of the 23 specimens (65.2%). All the mutations were at codon 273(CGT-->CAT), so that arginine encoded by this codon was replaced by histidine. In addition, p53 overexpression was found in another NPC specimen without mutation in exon 7 or 8 of p53 gene. The results suggest that p53 gene mutation is of common occurrence in NPC. The hot-spot mutation at codon 273 might be related to some special carcinogen in the environment, or this change be essential in the multi-step process of carcinogenesis of the nasopharynx.