title: Quantitative radioimmunohistochemical measurements of p185(erbB-2) in frozen tissue sections.
abstract: The relationship between expression of the c-erbB-2 proto-oncogene and the biology of breast cancer has been investigated widely, most studies using immunohistochemistry in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues. This technique is at best semiquantitative and there is a high degree of interstudy variability because of its subjective nature and poor methodological standardization. The relationship between the levels of expression and biology can be examined thoroughly only with an accurately quantitative technique. We have developed a radioimmunohistochemical assay to measure p185(erbB-2) in tissue biopsy specimens. The method involves incubating frozen sections with 125I-labeled monoclonal antibody, microautoradiograpy, and grain counting with image analysis. Sections of cell pellets with known c-erbB-2 levels are processed with each batch of samples as internal calibration standards. We have quantified c-erbB-2 expression in 60 breast carcinomas and compared the results with conventional immunohistochemistry. Radioimmunohistochemistry measured receptor levels throughout the range of expression in breast carcinomas, whereas conventional immunohistochemistry detected the protein only in the highest expressing tumors. The quantitative, objective data produced by radioimmunohistochemistry allow a more thorough evaluation of the relationship between c-erbB-2 expression and tumor biology. This technique may have applications in other fields where quantitative data is required and relevant monoclonal antibodies are available.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Glasgow, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Scotland, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Reeves
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Going
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Cooke
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Ozanne
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Stanton
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016616:Cryoultramicrotomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human