title: Expression of N-myc, c-myc and c-erbB-1 proto-oncogenes in cerebral primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET).
abstract: Neuroectodermal tumors demonstrate a relatively high incidence of proto-oncogenes amplification. This study attempted to determine the frequency of overexpression of three genes: N-myc, c-myc and c-erbB-1, in human PNET. Immunohistochemical studies revealed 5 to 74% neoplastic cells with positive immunoreactivity to anti-c-myc antibody in all investigated samples. In 3 cases the reactivity was particularly strong and present in more than 50% of tumor cells. Northern blot analysis revealed normal (2.3-kb in size) but significantly higher level of c-myc transcripts in these cases. By using anti-EGFR antibody 3 tumors disclosed 10 to 65% neoplastic cells with positive immunoreactivity. There was no rearrangement detected of their c-erbB-1 or N-myc genes by means of applied methods. Our results suggest that overexpression of c-myc gene is present in 10% of PNET but it is not the consequence of gene amplification. Amplification of N-myc and c-erbB-1 are rare events during PNET development.
authors.affiliation: Electron Microscopic Laboratory, School of Medicine Lódź.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Debiec-Rychter
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alwasiak
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Papierz
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Liberski
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D005784:Gene Amplification; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D018242:Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive / Q000235:genetics*; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D066246:ErbB Receptors