Expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor gene in human intestinal metaplasia: a preliminary report.
BACKGROUND
The role of growth factors/receptors in the etiopathology and/or development of gastric cancer has recently come under scrutiny, since overexpression or amplification of the EGF system has been found in many intestinal type gastric cancers and related to a more aggressive behavior. Since these gastric carcinomas appear to develop from intestinal metaplasia, a study was planned to investigate whether overexpression of the EGF-receptor gene also occurred in intestinal metaplastic mucosa.


METHODS
Patients underwent upper GL endoscopy. Gastric biopsies for routine histology, Helicobacter pylori detection, quantification of intestinal metaplasia and EGF-R expression analysis were performed. A 30mer EGF-R specific oligonucleotide was end-labeled and used to probe a dot blot filter containing the RNA from the bioptic samples.


RESULTS
Though all the gastric samples transcribed the EGF-R gene to a detectable level, overexpression of the EGF-R gene was found in the metaplastic mucosa in a minority of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary findings suggest that overexpression of the EGF-R gene is infrequent in the metaplastic gastric mucosa.
Granelli
P
P
Dept. of General Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Ospedale Maggiore I.R.C.C., University of Milan, Italy.
Fichera
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G
Zennaro
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Siardi
C
C
De Ruberto
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Fregoni
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Appierto
V
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Buffa
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R
Ferrero
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S
Biunno
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I
D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002908:Chronic Disease; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005756:Gastritis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D005773:Gastroscopy; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D007422:Intestines / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008679:Metaplasia / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes / Q000737:chemistry; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis*
D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D012313:RNA; D066246:ErbB Receptors