Immunohistochemical Expression of c-erbB2, c-erbB3 and c-erbB4 Protein in Breast Cancer / 한국유방암학회지

Breast cancer is the third leading cause of cancer related deaths in Korean women. Members of the erbB receptor family, the EGF receptor and c-erbB2, c-erbB3 and c-erbB4, are commonly over-expressed in human breast cancer and there is a high correlation with an aggressive breast cancer phenotype and poor patient prognosis. Since the over-expression of the EGF receptor and c-erbB2 suggested that signalling of erbB receptors may contribute to the development and progression of breast cancer, we investigated the correlation of clinicopathological factors and the immunohistochemical expression of c-erbB2, c-erbB3 and c-erbB4. To determine the c-erbB immunoreactivity, we used Rabbit anti-human c-erbB2 oncoprotein (DAKO, Denmark), mouse monoclonal c-erbB3(RTJ.2 Santa Cruz) and rabbit polyclonal antibody c-erbB4(Santa Cruz) directed against each c-erbB protein by immunohistochemistry from paraffin-embedded tissue in a series of 190 women with breast cancer. About 25.8%(49 out of 190 patients) of breast cancers overxpressed c-erbB2, and 40.0%(76 out of 190 patients) and 18.9%(36 out of 190 patients) overxpressed c-erbB and c-erbB4, respectively. Poor histologic grade showed tendency of positive correlation of the positivity of c-erbB2 and 3 but without statistical significance and no correlation with c-erbB4. We observed positive correlations among c-erbB2, c-erbB3 and c-erbB4 expression.(p0.05) and lymph node status(p>0.05) were not related with c-erbB family expression. The expressions of c-erbB2, c-erbB3 and c-erbB4 showed no survival benefit or no disease free benefit compared to c-erbB family negativity in univariate analysis (Kaplan-Meier life table analysis). Our results suggest that c-erbB2, c-erbB3, and c-erbB4 may regulate the growth of breast cancer by the interactions of these family of growth factor receptor that are dependent of hormonal control.

Expression of the EGF Receptor Gene Family in Gastric Cancer

Growth factor receptors play critical roles in the regulation of normal growth and developement. Some of these molecules have been implicated in the neoplastic process as well. In this study, We examined the expression of the EGF receptor gene family in gastric carcinoma by Ribonuclease protection assay and investigated the relationship between the expression of using a mRNA and clinicopathologic parameters. Expression of EGFR mRNA was found in 34 of 59 cases (57.6%), expression of c-erbB-2 mRNA was found in 27 of 57 cases (64.9%), expression of c-erbB-3 mRNA was found in 47 of 60 cases (78.3%), and expression of c-erbB-4 mRNA was found in 39 of 59 cases (66.1%). The expression of EGFR was correlated with the size of the tumor. The expression of c-erbB-2 was correlated with the presence of endolymphatic tumor emboli, Ming's classification, and lymph node matastasis. The expression of c-erbB-3 was correlated with the macroscopic type. Coexpression of c-erbB-2 and c-erbB-3 was correlated with age. These results suggest that the production of the EGF receptor gene family by various tumor cells it may play an important role in the cellular function. Therefore, further studies are currently being carried out to clarify the role of these oncogenes in tumor behavior and gastric carcinogenesis.

Expression of EGF Receptor Family Genes and Proteins in Gastric Cacner ( EGFR , c-erbB-2 , c-erbB-3 , c-erbB-4 ) / 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: to evaluate the relationship between the expression of EGF receptor gene family and clinico-pathologic parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared adenocarcinoma tissue with normal mucosa obtained from same patients in 60 cases. The amplifications of DNA was examined by slot blot, while the expression of mRNA by ribonuclease protection assay, and that of protein by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Expression of EGFR mRNA was observed in 9 of 59, that of c-erbB-2 mRNA in 8 of 57, that of c-erbB-3 mRNA in 4 of 60, and that of c-erbB-4 mRNA in 13 of 59. The expression of EGFR in expanding type showed a higher tendency than that in infiltrative type. The expression of c-erbB-2 in poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma showed a higher tendency than that in well differentiated adenocarcinoma. And expression of c-erbB-2 was correlated with presence of endolymphatic tumor emboli. No significant correlation was observed between expression of EGFR mRNA and that of its protein or amplification of its DNA. Similarly, No clear relationship between c-erbB-2 gene amplification and expression of mRNA or proteins was detected. CONCLUSION: EGFR, c-erbB-2, c-erbB-3, and c-erbB-4 were expressed in gastric adenocarcinoma in Korea. The presence of EGF receptor gene family by various tumor cells suggested that it may play an important role in adenocarcinoma. Therefore further studies are currently being carried out to clarify the role of these oncogenes in tumor behavior and gastric carcinogenesis.