Amplification of the epidermal growth factor receptor gene in biopsy specimens from human intracranial tumours.
Amplification and overexpression of proto-oncogenes are associated with the malignant nature of some human tumours. In this study we have determined the prevalence of amplification of the proto-oncogenes c-erb B1 (= epidermal growth factor receptor gene), c-erb B2 and c-myc in 44 human intracranial tumours (27 gliomas, six metastases to the brain and 11 meningiomas). None of the tumours had an amplified c-erb B2 gene and only two tumours had an amplified c-myc gene. Nineteen per cent (five out of 27) of the gliomas, 50% (three out of six) of the brain metastases and 0% (0 out of 11) meningiomas had an amplified EGF-receptor gene. Amplification of the EGF-receptor gene appeared to give a growth advantage when single-cell suspensions of the tumours were grown in agarose.
Helseth
E
E
Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Trondheim, Norway.
Unsgaard
G
G
Dalen
A
A
Fure
H
H
Skandsen
T
T
Odegaard
A
A
Vik
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D005910:Glioma / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D011988:Receptors, Thyroid Hormone
D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D011988:Receptors, Thyroid Hormone; D066246:ErbB Receptors