Correlation of the protein expression of PTEN and p53 with malignant transformation of endometriosis

Objective: To investigate the relationship between protein expressions of PTEN and p53 genes and malignant transformation of endometriosis.Methods: Twenty-three endometriosis associated ovarian cancers(EAOC),10 atypical hyperplasia endometriosis of ovary and 20 typical endometriosis tissues were used to detect the protein expressions of PTEN and p53 genes using immunohistochemistry PV-9000 method.Among the twenty-three EAOC samples,nine were endometrioid carcinomas,fourteen were clear cell carcinomas,and four of them demonstrated continuity between cancer and endometriosis tissue.Results: Eighteen of the twenty-three EAOC cases(78.26%) and four(17.39%) had PTEN and p53 protein expression deletion,with the deletion rates of PTEN higher and p53 lower than those of EMT and aEMs respectively.The protein expression deletion rates of PTEN in EMT and aEMs were 5% and 20%,but those of p53 were 85% and 70% respectively.There was significantly difference when EAOC was compared with EMT or aEMs(P0.05).The rates of protein expression of PTEN/p53 of EAOC were not relative to age difference and histological type(P0.05),and but had significant relationship with clinical stage,pathological grade or accompanied metastasis(P0.05).The rate of protein expression deletion of PTEN of EAOC which was in early clinical stage,well-differentiated and not accompanied by metastasis was obviously lower than that which was in late clinical stage,poor-differentiated and accompanied metastasis.However,there was an opposite expression of p53.Obviously,it was negtively correlated with the protein expression of PTEN and p53.Conclusion: There is intimate correlation between aberrant expressions of PTEN and p53 genes and malignant transformation of endometriosis.