Accumulation of p53 is associated with tumour progression in cutaneous lesions of renal allograft recipients

Renal allograft recipients suffer from a markedly increased susceptibility to premalignant and malignant cutaneous lesions. Although various aetiological factors have been implicated, little is known of the associated genetic events. In this study we initially employed immunocytochemical techniques to investigate the prevalence and localisation of accumulated p53 in over 200 cutaneous biopsies (including 56 squamous cell carcinomas) from renal allograft recipients and immunocompetent controls. In renal allograft recipients accumulated p53 was present in 24% of uninvolved skin samples, 14% of viral warts, 41% of premalignant keratoses, 65% of intraepidermal carcinomas and 56% of squamous cell carcinomas [squamous cell carcinoma and intraepidermal carcinoma differed significantly from uninvolved skin (P 50% of cells, reducing to 1/6 (17%) where 10-50% of cells were positively stained and none where