To get better insight into the role of numerical chromosome 17-aberrations and functional loss of the tumor suppressor gene TP53 during the early steps of colorectal carcinogenesis we analyzed paraffin-embedded tumor tissue from 58 colorectal adenomas with different histological features for p53-expression by immunohistology (IH; moAb DO1), #17-copy number by interphase-cytogenetics [nonradioactive in situ-hybridization (NISH) with a centromer-specific DNA-probe (D17Z1)], and DNA-ploidy by flow cytometry (FCM) with special emphasis on histopathological correlation. Seven adenomas (12%) showed nuclear p53-immunoreactivity. p53-expression was correlated with villous/tubulo-villous growth pattern (p=0.005) and grade of atypia (p=0.003) or dysplasia (p=0.0018). #17-aneusomy was present in 31% of the cases (29% deletions, 2% gains). In the FCM-analysis, 33% of the adenomas were DNA-non-diploid. p53-immunoreactivity correlated statistically significantly with FCM-non-diploidy (p=0.004) suggesting a role for the TP53-gene in the aneuploidization process. #17-deletions were associated to p53-immunoreactivity (p=0.046) but no correlation was found between FCM-ploidy and #17-copy number. As for loss of a tumor suppressor gene both alleles have to be affected, our data suggest a multistep process of TP53-inactivation. Whether the subgroup of adenomas with p53-expression might progress faster into invasive carcinoma than p53-negative cases remains to be tested.

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