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Quantitative analyses of epidermal growth factor receptors, HER‐2/ neu oncoprotein and cathepsin D in nonmalignant and malignant uteri
Author(s) -
Sanfilippo Joseph S.,
Miseljic Slobodan,
Yang AiRu,
Doering David L.,
Shaheen Raymond M.,
Wittliff James L.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0142(19960215)77:4<710::aid-cncr17>3.0.co;2-3
Subject(s) - receptor , epidermal growth factor , immunoradiometric assay , cathepsin d , endometrial cancer , medicine , endocrinology , biology , cancer , enzyme , radioimmunoassay , biochemistry
BACKGROUND Hormone receptors and oncoproteins are receiving increased attention as possible prognostic factors in different carcinomas. Few data are available regarding quantification of their levels of expression in gynecologic malignancies. METHODS Epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor specific binding capacities and affinities were measured by ligand binding assay using [ 125 I]EGF in a competition mode with Accufit;rM software (Lundon Software, Inc., Middlefield, OH). HER‐2/ neu oncoprotein was extracted from membranes and measured using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Cathepsin D was measured by an immunoradiometric assay using cytosols for steroid receptor analyses. RESULTS EGF receptors in 23 nonmalignant uteri ranged from undetectable to 50 fmol/mg membrane protein (median, 0), with dissociation constant values of 1.2 × 10 −9 M to 8.5 × 10 −10 M, compared with EGF receptors in 76 endometrial cancers that ranged from undetectable to 7674 fmol/mg (median, 52). HER‐2/ neu oncoprotein ranged from undetectable to 2.9 HER‐2/ neu units (HNU)/μg protein (median, 0.6) in 41 nonmalignant uteri and from undetectable to 5.8 HNU/μg protein (median, 2.5) in endometrial cancers (n = 53). Cathepsin D ranged from 5 to 32 pmol/mg cytosol protein (median, 11) in 42 nonmalignant uteri and 18 to 144 pmol/mg protein (median, 42) in 29 endometrial cancers. CONCLUSIONS Determination of the frequency and levels of EGF receptors, HER‐2/ neu protein, and cathepsin D in uteri with and without cancer and the availability of reference materials developed in our laboratory will allow evaluation of their prognostic value in cancers of the uterus. Cancer 1996;77:710‐6.