Expression of p53 and p21 in bladder carcinoma of Iraqi patients

Bladder cancer is an abnormal cellular multiplication without control arising from the urinary bladder urothelium. Cells cycle is a strictly controlled process regulated by protein complexes composed of cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases and also by several tumor suppressor gene protein products acting at the Go/G1 checkpoint of the cell-cycle. This study was designed to evaluate the frequency of p53 and p21 expression as biomarkers to monitor the disease and compare the results with those of others. Seventy-three tumors with different stages and grades were collected from patients with bladder carcinoma and ten normal bladder biopsies from forensic autopsy. Sections were immunohistochemically stained for p53 and p21. Results revealed that p53 positive immune reactivity was observed in (57.5%) which were exclusively nuclear and no immune reactivity detectable in (42.5%) of tumors, while all normal tissues expressed negative patterns. Positive immune staining of p21 was recorded in (69.5%) and negative p21 immune staining was recorded in 22 (31.1%), as well as ten normal urothelium. Statistically p53 and p21 over-expression was significantly related to stage and grade of tumors (P<0.05).