Expression of epidermal growth factor receptor in plutonium-239-induced lung neoplasms in dogs.
The expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) was examined in canine lung tumors and in proliferative epithelial foci induced by plutonium-239 to determine if EGF-R was associated with specific neoplastic phenotypes or putative preneoplastic lesions. Seventeen (47%) of 36 canine lung tumors expressed EGF-R. Of these 17 tumors, three tumors hybridized with an erb-B RNA probe, which identified activated cell oncogenes. The expression of EGF-R was not correlated with tumor etiology, e.g., spontaneous versus radiation induced, but did correlate with specific histologic phenotypes. Nineteen (15%) of 127 proliferative epithelial foci in the canine lungs also expressed EGF-R. The phenotypic specificity demonstrated for EGF-R in canine lung tumors parallels that previously shown in human lung tumors. This finding, in addition to the identification of EGF-R in nonneoplastic proliferative lung lesions, indicates that radiation-induced lung tumors in the dog may be a useful animal model to investigate the role of EGF-R in lung carcinogenesis.
Gillett
N A
NA
Inhalation Toxicology Research Institute, Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM.
Stegelmeier
B L
BL
Kelly
G
G
Haley
P J
PJ
Hahn
F F
FF
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary; D002282:Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary; D000231:Adenocarcinoma, Papillary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D011005:Plutonium; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D015347:RNA Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D012513:Sarcoma, Experimental / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics
D015347:RNA Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D011005:Plutonium; D066246:ErbB Receptors