Dual colour flow cytometry of p53 and c-erbB-2 expression related to DNA aneuploidy in primary and metastatic breast cancer.
DNA aneuploidy and p53 or c-erbB-2 expression were simultaneously measured in 29 breast tumours by two-colour flow cytometry. (i) The majority of tumours had some cells expressing either p53 (5-68%) or c-erbB-2 (1-56%). (ii) Expression of p53 and c-erbB-2 was observed mainly in the aneuploid population of mixed aneuploid and diploid tumours but there was no significant correlation with a specific DNA index. Aneuploid tumours contained higher percentages of c-erbB-2 positive cells (average 25%) than purely diploid tumours (average 15%) but this just failed to reach significance (P = 0.074). No relevant trends were noted for p53 expression. (iii) Significantly increased c-erbB-2 expression was observed in stage 2 tumours (26%) compared to stage 1 tumours (12%) (P = 0.001) with no trend evident for p53 expression. (iv) The metastatic tumour in the axillary node contained similar or slightly higher percentages of positive cells than the matched primary tumour.
Clark
J S
JS
Department of Biochemistry, University of Glasgow, UK.
George
W D
WD
Campbell
A M
AM
D000782:Aneuploidy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D016158:Genes, p53; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53