Our results revealed an inactive form of p53 sporadically seen in the samples, a total loss of Rb protein expression, an increased expression of Cdk4, MDM2, c-fos, and c-myc proteins which literature currently reports being the principal alterations found in osteosarcoma.
The different patterns of gene amplification and overexpression of CDK4, SAS and MDM2 in parosteal and intramedullary osteosarcomas may help explain the disparity in the biological behaviour of these two types of osteosarcoma.
Two follicular lymphomas, three leukaemias, both hepatocellular carcinomas, and the osteosarcoma sample showed transcription of the activated MDM2 gene.
Alterations of the p53/MDM2 pathway are frequent in OS and usually represent mutually exclusive tumorigenic events. p53 does not appear to be a major determinant of proliferative rate in OS.