Mutant p53 proteins may be targets of the host immune system - consequently a certain proportion of cancer patients (the percentage varies according to the type of cancer) with tumors that carry p53 missense mutations develop circulating p53 antibodies. The present study was aimed at defining the occurrence of circulating antibodies to p53 protein in patients with various types of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL). Altogether, the sera of 108 cases with various histological types of NHL and of 20 healthy controls were assessed for the presence of antibodies to p53 protein with an ELISA method. In 73 cases of NHL, also the immunohistochemical staining for p53 antigen was performed to make a rough estimation of the frequency of mutational events. The development of autoantibodies to p53 protein was observed in approximately 7% of NHL patients (predominantly in the more aggressive variants of the disease, but also in one case of small lymphocytic lymphoma). This proportion represents roughly one third of the number of patients assessed (immunohistochemically) to carry a missense p53 mutation in their tumors. The autoantibodies to p53 protein can be used as a tumor marker (early appearance, high specificity) in the follow-up of a subset of NHL patients, but, unfortunately, this subset comprises only approximately 7% of NHL patients.

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