Purpose: To determine whether pterygium is a disorder of abnormal growth by examining the expression of the p53 gene in the conjunctiva of patients with pterygium.
Methods: Immunostaining for abnormal expression of p53 was performed using mouse monoclonal antibody to human p53, pAb 240, on six eyes with primary pterygium and two eyes with recurrent pterygium.
Results: In three of the eight eyes with pterygium, specimens were positive for abnormal expression in the epithelium of the pterygium and in the superior bulbar conjunctiva.
Conclusion: Abnormal p53 expression in the epithelium of primary and recurrent pterygium specimens suggests that pterygium is a growth disorder rather than a degeneration.