Expression and significance of p53 and mdm2 in atypical intestinal metaplasia and gastric carcinoma

Subtypes of intestinal metaplasia may have different manifestations in the carcinogenesis of gastric mucosa. The present study aimed to investigate expression of murine double minute gene 2 (mdm2) in atypical intestinal metaplasia (AIM) and its relationship to gastric carcinoma. Intestinal metaplasia (IM) specimens were obtained from 58 cases. Using a novel classification of IM, the specimens were classified according to morphological changes exhibited in the gastric mucosa; specifically, atypical intestinal metaplasia (AIM) and simple intestinal metaplasia (SIM). The gatric carcinoma specimens were then compared with types I, II and III IM based on different substances present in the mucous. Envision immunohistochemical technique was applied to the detection of the expression of p53 and mdm2 in 58 IM and 30 gastric carcinoma cases. Expression of both p53 and mdm2 proteins was found to be higher in gastric carcinomas (p53, 56.67%, 17/30 and mdm2, 53.33%, 16/30) and AIM (p53, 51.85%, 14/27 and mdm2, 51.85%, 14/27) as compared to SIM (p53, 25.81%, 8/31 and mdm2, 19.35%, 6/31) (P < 0.05). A similar pattern of expression of mdm2 protein was found in type I (36.84%, 7/19), type II (38.46%, 10/26) and type III (23.08%, 3/13) IM and gastric carcinoma (53.33%, 16/30). p53 expression was higher in gastric carcinoma (56.67%) compared to type I IM (26.32%) (P < 0.05). However, no differences were evident among type II (42.31%, 11/26), type III (46.15%, 6/13) IM and gastric carcinoma. AIM may reveal the precancerous nature of gastric carcinoma more clearly than SIM or the conventional IM subtypes. Additionally, AIM may be involved as a preneoplastic lesion and therefore be an effective indicator in the clinical follow-up of gastric carcinoma patients.