Expression of erbB-1 and erbB-2 genes in normal and pathological human endometrium

Abstract

Abstract. Overexpression of the erbB-1 (EGFR, epidermal growth factor receptor) and erbB-2 (HER2/neu) proteins contributes to the aggressive behavior of malignant tumors originating from the endometrium. We currently examined whether the trend of these proteins to overexpression is a direct effect of their gene transcriptional activities. Expression of the erbB-1/erbB-2 genes was measured applying the quantitative RT-PCR technique in 25 uterine carcinomas, 12 normal endometria, a carcinosarcoma and a case of botryoid sarcoma of the uterine cervix. We showed that erbB-1 mRNA was overexpressed in 48% (12/25) and erbB-2 mRNA was overexpressed in 8% (2/25) of the analysed tumors. The level of expression appeared to be significantly higher in the malignant tumors as compared to the benign ones for erbB-1 and for erbB-2 (p=0.0001 and p=0.008, respectively). A significant correlation between erbB-1 overexpression and tumor differentiation was found (Spearman rank correlation test, p<0.001). Concomitant erbB-1 and erbB-2 overexpression was detected only in 1 out of 25 (4%) uterine neoplasms. erbB-1 was overexpressed in a sarcoma botryoides of the uterine cervix. Our data suggest that erbB-1/erbB-2 overexpression is a direct effect of higher than normal transcriptional activity of the encoding genes in a subset of human endometrial carcinomas.

Predicting the Coexistence of an Endometrial Adenocarcinoma in the Presence of Atypical Complex Hyperplasia

“…Also, the gene expression of HER2-neu shows significantly more expression in malignant than benign endometrium. 53 These data are contradictory to our results, yet our numbers are small. Furthermore, the results of HER2-neu expression should be interpreted with caution because only 8 samples (21%) stained positive.…”

Epidermal growth factor receptor signaling pathway involved in progestin‐resistance of human endometrial carcinoma: In a mouse model

“…Abnormal activation may lead to cell excessive proliferation, malignant transformation and tumorigenesis. Clinical studies have shown that EGFR was overexpressed in 60∼80% endometrial carcinomas, especially in poor differentiation, advanced, recurrent, or metastatic endometrial cancer 14,15 . A study in vivo demonstrates that EGFR expression in type II EC Hec50co cell is higher than that in type I EC Ishikawa cell 16 .…”

Recent Advances in Endometrial Cancer

“…EGFR overexpression is common in endometrial cancer and has been correlated with tumor grade, deep myometrial invasion, and poor prognosis 71 – 73 . The EGFR family consists of four distinct tyrosine kinase cell-surface receptors: ErbB-1 (EGFR), ErbB-2 (HER2/neu), ErbB-3, and ErbB-4.…”