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Expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor gene in human brain metastases
Author(s) -
TORP SVERRE H.,
HELSETH EIRIK,
RYAN LIV,
STØLAN SIGNE,
DALEN ARE,
UNSGAARD GEIRMUND
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
apmis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1600-0463
pISSN - 0903-4641
DOI - 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1992.tb03989.x
Subject(s) - epidermal growth factor receptor , biology , gene duplication , epidermal growth factor , gene , oncogene , cancer research , gene expression , microbiology and biotechnology , cancer , receptor , genetics , cell cycle
Biopsy specimens of human brain metastases were examined for amplification and expression of the proto‐oncogene c‐ erb B1 (located on chromosome 7) encoding the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Moreover, the tumour DNA was also examined for amplification of other cancer‐related genes on this chromosome: the proto‐oncogene c‐ met , the gene for platelet‐derived growth factor A‐chain, and the gene for plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1. All 18 brain metastases demonstrated positive binding of biotinylated EGF on cryosections. Three out of 18 metastases had amplification of the EGFR gene; the other chromosome‐7 genes tested were not amplified. Thus, an increased EGFR gene expression seems to be a general finding in a wide range of carcinomas metastatic to the brain, whereas we found only occasional selective EGFR gene amplifications in single cases.