title: Expression of proto-oncogenes in normal and tumor tissues of human skin.
abstract: The expression of c-fos, c-myc, Ha-ras, N-ras, EGF-receptor, and cardiac actin genes was examined in 7 normal epidermis, 3 cellular nevi, and 8 skin tumors including 6 malignant and 2 benign tumors of human origin. These genes were transcribed in most normal and tumor tissues, though no tumor-specific expression of proto-oncogenes (c-fos, c-myc, Ha-ras, and N-ras) could be detected. However, there was a characteristic parallelism between the expression of c-fos and c-myc in normal epidermis, while the parallelism was not always definite in skin tumors. The ratio of c-fos/c-myc transcripts in normal epidermis was constant compared with the expression of other genes examined. These data suggest that c-fos and c-myc are expressed in all normal skin tissues, and that maintenance of a constant ratio of c-fos/c-myc is closely related to ordered cell growth of the tissues.
mesh_terms: D002455:Cell Division; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009506:Nevus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011061:Poly A / Q000032:analysis; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D011061:Poly A; D066246:ErbB Receptors