Relationship between p53 gene codon-72 polymorphisms and hypertrophic scar formation following caesarean section

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between p53 gene codon-72 polymorphisms and hypertrophic scar formation following caesarean section (CS). Blood samples from 260 female patients were collected one week following a CS for the detection of p53 gene polymorphisms using a molecular beacon-coupled quantitative polymerase chain reaction technique. Patients had follow-ups for 12-18 months to observe the scar formation. From these observations, the relationship between the p53 codon-72 polymorphisms and hypertrophic scar formation occurrence was investigated. Among the patients with the CCC/CCC genotype, nine patients had hypertrophic scars and 46 patients showed normal healing, which is a ratio of 0.19. However, the follow-up investigations indicated that the presence of a homozygous or heterozygous C-to-G alteration at the codon-72 site in gene p53 resulted in 13 patients with hypertrophic scars and 192 patients with normal healing, which is a ratio of 0.07. Therefore, these results indicate that patients with the CCC/CCC genotype had a higher risk of developing hypertrophic scars compared with that for patients with the CCC/CGC or CGC/CGC genotypes.

Keywords: hypertrophic scar; molecular beacon quantitative polymerase chain reaction; p53 gene codon-72.

Figure 1

Gene p53 codon-72 polymorphisms associated with hypertrophic scars and normal healing. (A) Representative images of a hypertrophic scar and normal healing following CS. (B) Products of nested PCR were detected following an electrophoresis reaction. A 380-bp DNA band (exon 4 of the p53 gene) was identified in all peripheral blood samples. No non-specific amplification was observed. (C) Fluorescence PCR results of the p53 gene codon-72 genotype. The 5′ end of CCC and CGC probes were labeled with Fam (dark gray line, ▼) and Hex (lighter gray line, ■), respectively. The 3′ end was conjugated with a quenching complex. MBC probe-positive only samples were considered as CCC/CCC homozygous, MBG probe-positive only samples were considered as CGC/CGC homozygous and MBC probe- and MBG probe-positive samples were considered to be CCC/CGC heterozygous. CS, caesarean section; Fam, carboxyfluorescein; Hex, hexachlorofluorescein.