title: Analysis of oncogene alterations in human endometrial carcinoma: prevalence of ras mutations.
abstract: The molecular genetics of human endometrial carcinoma have yet to be defined to any significant extent. Cell lines from 11 endometrial carcinomas were examined for alterations in proto-oncogenes that might predictably be present, based on existing data from the better-characterized human carcinomas of the uterine cervix, ovary, and breast. Codons 12, 13, and 61 of the Ha-ras, Ki-ras, and N-ras genes were examined for possible point mutations, and the c-erbB2/neu, c-myc, and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) genes were examined for amplification or overexpression. Ras mutations were found in seven of 11 (64%) tumors, including three in codon 61 of Ha-ras (CAG----CAT) and four in codon 12 of Ki-ras (GGT----GAT in two and GGT----GTT in two). No evidence was found for amplification or overexpression of the c-erbB2 or EGFR genes in any tumor. One tumor contained amplified c-myc sequences and exhibited relative overexpression of c-myc. These data suggest that the amplification or overexpression of several proto-oncogenes frequently observed in other human gynecologic and breast tumors are not prevalent in endometrial carcinoma and that ras gene mutations are relatively common in this tumor type.
authors.affiliation: Gene Expression Section, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boyd
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Risinger
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D002460:Cell Line; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D066246:ErbB Receptors