Expression of the c-erbB-3 protein in normal human adult and fetal tissues.
c-erbB-3 is a member of the type I family of growth factor receptors which includes the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor and c-erbB-2. Whereas for EGF receptor and c-erbB-2 the expression patterns in normal tissues are well documented, there is currently little information available about the sites of c-erbB-3 expression. In order to examine the normal tissue distribution of c-erbB-3, polyclonal antibodies were raised against eight synthetic peptides corresponding to distinct sites on the intracellular domain of c-erbB-3. Of these, three produced antibodies which reacted with a 160-kDa protein on immunoblots of human embryonal cells (293 cells) transfected with the cDNA encoding c-erbB-3, and two of the three antibodies immunoprecipitated a protein of similar size from the same cells. These antibodies were used for immunochemical staining of a wide variety of normal human adult and fetal tissues employing formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded material. The c-erbB-3 protein was identified in cells of the gastrointestinal, reproductive, respiratory and urinary tracts as well as the skin, endocrine and nervous system in a distribution distinctly different from that observed for EGF receptor and c-erbB-2. The level of expression of the mRNA for c-erbB-3 was also examined in extracts of a selection of fetal tissues. In general the sites of mRNA and protein expression were concordant.
Prigent
S A
SA
Molecular Oncology Laboratory, ICRF Oncology Group, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK.
Lemoine
N R
NR
Hughes
C M
CM
Plowman
G D
GD
Selden
C
C
Gullick
W J
WJ
D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000906:Antibodies; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010455:Peptides; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020893:Receptor, ErbB-3
D000906:Antibodies; D000939:Epitopes; D010455:Peptides; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D020893:Receptor, ErbB-3