High-level expression of the ribosomal protein L19 in human breast tumors that overexpress erbB-2.
The erbB-2 (or HER-2 or neu) gene is amplified and overexpressed in approximately one-third of cancers of the breast, stomach, and ovary. Evidence is accumulating that erbB-2 overexpression is associated with decreased survival of breast cancer patients. In an effort to understand how erbB-2 overexpression might impart a more malignant potential to breast cancer cells, we have searched for evidence of changes in gene expression associated with erbB-2 overexpression. Using differential screening of a complementary DNA library we identified several complementary DNAs that represent mRNAs the expression of which may vary according to erbB-2 level. One complementary DNA was studied in detail. The mRNA encoding the ribosomal protein L19 (1.9 kilobases) was more abundant in breast cancer samples that express high levels of erbB-2 (P < 6 x 10(-7)). The level of L19 mRNA expression varied over a 1- to 64-fold range among the tumor samples. No evidence of gene amplification for L19 was identified. The L19 overexpression in these breast tumor samples was not associated with the increased expression of the mRNAs for other ribosomal proteins (S16 and L26).
Henry
J L
JL
Oncogene Research, Molecular Oncology, Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878.
Coggin
D L
DL
King
C R
CR
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins; C489092:RPL19 protein, human; C023509:ribosomal protein S16