Expression of HER-2/neu in renal-cell carcinoma. Correlation with histologic subtypes and differentiation.
Twenty-four renal-cell carcinomas (RCC) and corresponding non-neoplastic kidney tissue were examined for amplification and expression of the HER-2/neu gene. Gene amplification was examined by slot-blot analysis, mRNA expression by in situ hybridization and Northern blot analysis, and protein expression by immunohistochemistry. Northern-blot analysis revealed lower expression of HER-2/neu mRNA in clear-cell (p less than 0.001) and compact (p less than 0.001) tumor subtypes, while chromophilic, chromophobic and tubulo-papillary subtypes did not show significant differences in HER-2/neu gene expression, as compared with non-neoplastic kidney tissues. HER-2/neu gene expression was not significantly associated with tumor stage. Low differentiation (G3) was associated with lower HER-2/neu gene expression, but the number of G3 cases was too small for statistical analysis. HER-2/neu gene amplification was not found in any of the tumors. The results of in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry generally agreed with those of Northern-blot analysis. We conclude that HER-2/neu gene expression correlates with Thoenes' classification of RCC and may be inversely related to tumor differentiation; it is probably not involved in progression of RCC, in contrast to carcinomas of other locations (e.g. breast, ovary).
Institute of Pathology, Technische Universität, München, School of Medicine, Germany.
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Rotter
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Block
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Busch
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Thanner
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Höfler
D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005784:Gene Amplification; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases
D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases