A somatic mutation of the p21 (Waf1/Cip1) gene in a human adrenocortical adenoma
Iida, S.; Fujii, H.; Moriwaki, K.
Anticancer Research 17(1b): 633-636
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0250-7005 PMID: 9066592 Document Number: 472729
The p21(Waf1/Cip1) protein, an inhibitory protein of cellular growth and DNA replication, is induced by the p53 tumour suppressor protein. Any mutations or deletions inactivating the protein may result in unregulated cellular growth. In one aldosterone secreting adrenocortical adenoma, we found a heterozygous deletion of a 111-base-pair (bp) fragment of the p21 cDNA. This deletion resulted in a truncated p21 protein lacking 37 amino acids from codon 65 to 101. The deletion was a somatic mutation, because it was not detected in the DNA of cultured fibroblasts obtained from the same patient. The results suggest that an alteration of the p21 protein may be relevant in inducing an adrenocortical adenoma, a well differentiated and slowly growing benign tumour.