Amplification of the int-2 gene in human head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) from 21 patients were analyzed for structurally rearranged or amplified proto-oncogenes by Southern blot hybridization. The int-2 proto-oncogene was amplified 3-5 fold in 5 (50%) of 10 laryngeal SCC and 2-3 fold in 5 (45%) of 11 nonlaryngeal SCC of the head and neck. Adjacent histologically normal tissue from the same patients had single int-2 gene copy number. Coamplification of int-2 and the epidermal growth factor receptor (c-erbB-1) gene was found in one laryngeal SCC and one SCC metastatic to the neck. No amplification or structural alterations of proto-oncogenes c-erbB-2/HER2, c-myc, H-ras-1, or K-ras-2 was detected in any of the head and neck tumors. In a survey of head and neck tumor-derived cell lines, int-2 was amplified 9 fold in a hypopharyngeal tumor cell line (FaDu), but not amplified in 3 laryngeal tumor cell lines. int-2 has been localized to the q13 band of chromosome 11. We used chromosome 11 specific probes to demonstrate that int-2 amplification was not due to complete or partial chromosome 11 duplication. int-2 amplification was localized to 11q13, but did not extend to the ets-1 locus 11q23. The results indicate that int-2 is frequently amplified in SCC of the head and neck and suggest that int-2 amplification may correlate with clinical disease progression.
Department of Microbiology/Immunology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk 23501.
K D
KD
Somers
S L
SL
Cartwright
G L
GL
Schechter
D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D051518:Fibroblast Growth Factor 3; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D005784:Gene Amplification / Q000235:genetics*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007830:Larynx / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
C496444:FGF3 protein, human; D051518:Fibroblast Growth Factor 3; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D066246:ErbB Receptors