title: c-erB-2 oncoprotein expression in malignant and nonmalignant breast tissue.
abstract: Using a specific polyclonal antibody (21N) to the c-erbB-2 oncoprotein, a total of 200 primary breast carcinomas of various histological types and 46 benign breast lesions, were immunohistochemically stained, to identify those tissues over-expressing this putative transmembrane receptor. Positivity for this oncoprotein was evident as an intense brown granular staining predominantly located at the cell membrane and was present in 17% (n = 34) of the primary breast carcinomas investigated. With the exception of one case of apocrine metaplasia, none of the remaining benign breast samples (n = 45) were positive for this oncoprotein. This study shows that overexpression of the c-erb B-2 oncoprotein is easily identifiable and can be detected on paraffin embedded sections using an immunohistochemical technique. The results obtained correlate well with other c-erbB2 detection systems and in addition, positivity for this oncoprotein is mostly confined to the malignant phenotype.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McCann
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Dervan
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Gullick
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Carney
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases
chemical_list: D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases