Effect of recombinant human interferon-alpha/2b on epidermal-growth-factor-, estrogen- and progesterone-receptor expression in primary cervical cancer.
The effects of a short period of in vivo systemic rh-IFN-alpha/2b treatment on epidermal-growth-factor(EGFR)-, estrogen(ER)- and progesterone(PR)-receptor content in 11 primary human cervical tumors was investigated by the radioreceptorial technique. EGFR levels were found to be significantly higher in cervical tumors after rh-IFN-alpha/2b treatment with respect to basal levels. In 2 cases, immunohistochemical and cytofluorimetric analysis showed that rh-IFN-alpha/2b treatment induces an increase in EGFR immunoreactivity and in the fraction of EGFR-positive cells. No difference in ER and PR levels in cervical tumors before and after rh-IFN-alpha/2b treatment was observed. Our results suggest that rh-IFN-alpha/2b up-regulates EGFR in primary human cervical tumors in vivo.
Scambia
G
G
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
Panici
P B
PB
Ferrandina
G
G
Battaglia
F
F
Sica
G
G
Coronetta
F
F
Rumi
C
C
Mancuso
S
S
D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000628:therapy* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy* / Q000648:ultrastructure*
D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D066246:ErbB Receptors