Amplification and overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor gene in human renal-cell carcinoma.
We examined 22 cases of renal-cell carcinoma (RCC) for structural alterations of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene and found gene amplification in one case of high-stage-high-grade RCC. Dot blot analysis of the total RNA from tumorous and normal kidney tissues revealed overexpression of the EGFR gene in 12 of 20 (60%) cases of RCC. The highest expression was observed in the gene-amplified case. No correlation was observed between the level of EGFR mRNA and tumor stage or grade. Northern blot analysis revealed normal 10- and 5.6-kb EGFR mRNA bands in RCC. Our data indicate that gene amplification of the EGFR gene is one of the molecular mechanisms of its overexpression in a subset of RCCs.
Ishikawa
J
J
Department of Urology, Kobe University School of Medicine, Japan.
Maeda
S
S
Umezu
K
K
Sugiyama
T
T
Kamidono
S
S
D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D015342:DNA Probes; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D005784:Gene Amplification / Q000235:genetics*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics*; D005796:Genes; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
D015342:DNA Probes; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D066246:ErbB Receptors