title: Gamma-interferon reduces expression of the protooncogene c-erbB-2 in human ovarian carcinoma cells.
abstract: The overexpression of the protooncogene c-erbB-2 (HER-2/neu) in ovarian and mammary carcinoma is an important indicator for a bad prognosis. In this study we demonstrate that, in three of four ovarian carcinoma cell lines, there is a gamma-interferon-mediated reduction in c-erbB-2 specific protein, and this effect was found to correlate with the antiproliferative action. It is interesting to note that there is no relation between the absolute amount of c-erbB-2 protein expressed and the sensitivity of the ovarian carcinoma cells for an antiproliferative activity of gamma-interferon. Other chemotherapeutic agents did not affect c-erbB-2 expression, although they inhibited the proliferation. The oncogene expression was lowered only in the ovarian carcinoma cell lines and not in three gamma-interferon-sensitive human breast cancer cell lines. Expression of the oncogene c-erbB-2 is the leading prognostic factor in ovarian cancer. Its modulation might represent a mechanism by which gamma-interferon inhibits cell proliferation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Innsbruck University Clinic, Austria.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marth
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Müller-Holzner
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Greiter
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Cronauer
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Zeimet
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Doppler
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eibl
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Hynes
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Daxenbichler
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes / Q000235:genetics*; D013997:Time Factors; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma