p53 codon 72 Pro homozygosity increases the risk of cutaneous melanoma in individuals with dark skin complexion and among noncarriers of melanocortin 1 receptor red hair variants

Summary Background  p53 has a common polymorphism at amino acid 72, encoding either arginine or proline. p53Arg and p53Pro exhibit differences in various biological activities, such as cell-cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis. Numerous epidemiological studies have examined the role of this polymorphism in several human malignancies, including cutaneous cancers, with contradictory results. Objectives  To investigate the germline frequency of p53 codon 72 polymorphism in malignant melanoma in a Mediterranean population, and to examine possible associations with various clinicopathological factors. Methods  In this hospital-based case–control study we used allele-specific polymerase chain reaction for p53 codon 72 genotyping in blood specimens from 107 Greek patients with sporadic cutaneous melanoma and 145 healthy controls. Results  After adjustment for age, sex and phototype the Pro/Pro genotype was associated with increased risk for cutaneous melanoma compared with the Arg/Arg genotype (adjusted odds ratio, OR 3·17, 95% confidence interval, CI 1·03–9·78). This correlation was more pronounced in subjects with phototypes III or IV (adjusted OR 9·56, 95% CI 1·56–58·46), dark skin (adjusted OR 10·96, 95% CI 1·64–73·28), dark eyes (adjusted OR 8·86, 95% CI 1·69–46·52) and dark hair (adjusted OR 3·17, 95% CI 1·01–9·95), and among noncarriers of melanocortin 1 receptor gene (MC1R) red hair polymorphisms (adjusted OR 2·99, 95% CI 1·02–8·78). Conclusions  p53 codon 72 Pro/Pro genotype could be a risk factor for the development of melanoma in the Greek population, especially in subgroups with darker skin pigmentation, as well as among noncarriers of the MC1R red hair polymorphic variants.