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.
Department of Biochemistry, University of Glasgow, UK.
J S
JS
Clark
W D
WD
George
A M
AM
Campbell
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