erbB-2 is a potent oncogene when overexpressed in NIH/3T3 cells.
A wide variety of human tumors contain an amplified or overexpressed erbB-2 gene, which encodes a growth factor receptor-like protein. When erbB-2 complementary DNA was expressed in NIH/3T3 cells under the control of the SV40 promoter, the gene lacked transforming activity despite expression of detectable levels of the erbB-2 protein. A further five- to tenfold increase in its expression under influence of the long terminal repeat of Moloney murine leukemia virus was associated with activation of erbB-2 as a potent oncogene. The high levels of the erbB-2 product associated with malignant transformation of NIH/3T3 cells were observed in human mammary tumor cells that overexpressed this gene. These findings demonstrate a new mechanism for acquisition of oncogenic properties by genes encoding growth factor receptor-like proteins and provide a functional basis for the role of their overexpression in the development of human malignancies.
D000818:Animals; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics; D002460:Cell Line; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008979:Moloney murine leukemia virus / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D013539:Simian virus 40 / Q000235:genetics; D014410:Tumor Stem Cell Assay
D004247:DNA; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins