Analysis of p16 expression and allelic imbalance / loss of heterozygosity of 9p21 in cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas

Deletions of the short arm of chromosome 9 have been reported in different types of malignancies. This chromosomal region contains a number of known tumour suppressor genes, including the p16INK4A (CDKN2A), p15INK4B and MTAP tumour suppressor genes located at 9p21. In this study twenty-two paraffin embedded invasive cutaneous SCC were examined for allelic imbalance/ loss of heterozygosity (AI/LOH) of the 9p region (in particular 9p21), and for p16 protein expression. DNA was isolated from microdissected sections of normal and tumour cells and analysed for AI/LOH by using six fluorescently labelled microsatellite markers that map to the 9p region. P16 protein expression was examined by immunohistochemistry. At each of the six microsatellite markers the majority of SCC analysed showed AI/LOH. Overall both AI/LOH within the CDKN2A locus and absence of p16 protein expression were frequent among the cutaneous SCC analysed, suggesting that p16 inactivation may play a role in cutaneous SCC development. The majority of the SCC analysed also had AI/LOH of the marker within the MTAP gene, and at markers flanking the CDKN2A gene; thus further investigation as to a possible role for these genes in the development of cutaneous SCC is warranted.