Expression of c-erbB-2 protein and epidermal growth receptor in endometrial carcinomas. Correlation with clinicopathologic and sex steroid receptor status.
BACKGROUND
The c-erbB-2 (HER-2/neu) protein is a membrane glycoprotein growth factor receptor showing molecular homology with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). In endometrial carcinomas, little is known about the relationship between the expression of c-erbB-2 protein and that of EGFR.


METHODS
The immunohistochemical reactivity of monoclonal antibodies against both of these proteins was examined in 34 endometrial carcinomas, and the presence or absence of correlation with the clinicopathologic features or with the immunohistochemical expression of sex steroid receptors (estrogen receptor [ER] and progesterone receptor [PR]) was analyzed.


RESULTS
Of the 34 patients, 22 (64.7%) had c-erbB-2 protein-positive and EGFR-negative tumor, and 8 (23.5%) had tumor positivity for both proteins. Four patients had tumors negative for both proteins. ER or PR positivity was found in 24 (70.6%) of the 34 patients. Intense immunostaining for c-erbB-2 protein was found in 5 (14.7%) of the 34 patients but was not correlated with the stage or grade of differentiation in endometrial carcinoma. However, expression of EGFR in addition to c-erbB-2 protein was more frequently observed with advancing stage of disease and was inversely correlated with the grade of differentiation and with the expression of ER or PR of the tumor.


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of EGFR, in addition to that of c-erbB-2 protein, is an important event that presumably is linked with progression or with a poorly differentiated state of endometrial carcinomas.
Wang
D
D
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan.
Konishi
I
I
Koshiyama
M
M
Mandai
M
M
Nanbu
Y
Y
Ishikawa
Y
Y
Mori
T
T
Fujii
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018269:Carcinoma, Endometrioid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D018283:Cystadenocarcinoma, Papillary / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis
D066246:ErbB Receptors; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone