[Mechanisms of p16 gene inactivation salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE: To study the mechanism of p16 gene inactivation in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma. METHODS: 53 cases of freshly excised salivary adenoid cystic carcinomas were studied. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and single-stranded conformation polymorphism analysis of polymerase chain reaction products (PCR-SSCP) were used to detect deletion and mutation of p16 gene in salivary adenoid cystic carcinomas. Methylation specific PCR (MSP) was used to detect the methylation status of p16 gene. RESULTS: The homozygous deletion, mutation and hypermethylation of p16 gene were noted in 16 cases (30.2%), 4 cases (7.5%) and 26 cases (49.1%) respectively in 53 cases of salivary adenoid cystic carcinomas. CONCLUSION: The main inactivation mechanisms of p16 gene in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma were hypermethylation and homozygous deletion. The mutation p16 gene was rare in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma.