pRb2/p130, p107 and p53 expression in precancerous lesions and squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix

The aim of this study was to investigate pRb2/p130, p107 and p53 expressions in precancerous lesions and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the uterine cervix. We evaluated Human Papillomavirus (HPV) testing and typing and pRb2/p130, p107 and p53 expressions (antibody D07) of 48 patients showing low-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (LCIN, 18 cases), high-grade CIN (HCIN, 13 cases) and SCC (17 cases). Paraffin-embedded tissue sections were analyzed for the study. High-risk HPV types were present in 67%, 89% and in 100% of HPV-positive LCIN, HCIN and SCC, respectively (Spearman's correlation coefficient: 0.393, p=0.035). Positive pRb2/p130 expression was detected in 89% of LCIN, 77% of HCIN and in 35% of SCC (p=0.001), whereas diffuse p107 expression was 72%, 62% and 100%, respectively (p=0.024). The results of p53 expression in CINs and SCCs showed values (not statistically significant) comparable with the literature data concerning the antibody D07. For the first time, we tested pRb2/p130]30 and p107 expressions in CINs and SCCs. We found a progressive decrease in pRb2 expression from CINs to SCCs that suggests an important role of pRb2 in cervical carcinogenesis. Indeed, p107 expression does not seem to be a useful factor. In our opinion, confirmed by the literature data, p53 immunostaining helps to biologically characterize CIN (in particular LCIN) when each case is evaluated separately considering HPV testing/typing.