[Expression of epidermal growth factor, transforming growth factor-alpha and epidermal growth factor receptor messenger RNA in human endometrium and endometrial carcinoma].
To study the regulation of c-erbB, EFG and TGF-alpha in endometrium, we examined the expression of their mRNA in 5 normal endometrial and 5 endometrial carcinoma tissues by Northern blot and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). By Northern blot with 10 micrograms of total RNA, c-erbB mRNA was not detected in the normal endometrium, but it was detected in 3 samples of endometrial carcinoma tissues. On the other hand RT-PCR identified c-erbB mRNA in all the normal endometrium and endometrial carcinoma tissues by amplifying cDNA derived from c-erbB mRNA. EGF mRNA was detected by RT-PCR in normal endometrium except in the early follicular phase. It was detected in all cases of endometrial carcinoma tissues. TGF-alpha mRNA was also detected in all the normal and endometrial carcinoma tissues by RT-PCR. Our study suggests that an autocrine/paracrine mechanism of EGF may regulate the endometrial cycle. Because some endometrial carcinoma tissues express the c-erbB mRNA much more than normal endometrium, disruption of the autocrine/paracrine mechanism may trigger subsequent endometrial carcinogenesis.
Sato
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A
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kobe University School of Medicine.
Bo
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Otani
T
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Mochizuki
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D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism*; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000235:genetics*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D066246:ErbB Receptors