[Study of the amplification and expression of c-erbB2 oncogene in epithelial ovarian tumors].
Protooncogene c-erbB2 amplification and expression were studied in 62 cases of epithelial ovarian tumor by using immunohistochemical method and in situ hybridization. c-erbB2 gene amplification was observed in 30 of 47 ovarian cancers (63.8%) and in none of 15 benign tumors. The gene expression was found in 38 of the former and in 9 of the latter tumors. The gene amplification showed significant difference between malignant and benign tumors (P < 0.01). But for gene expression, only the strongly positive staining demonstrated significant difference (P < 0.01). There was correlation between c-erbB2 gene amplification and expression in epithelial ovarian carcionoma. The status of c-erbB2 gene amplification and expression had no relationship with histopathological types of ovarian carcinoma. The results indicate that there is extensive expression of c-erbB2 in epithelial ovarian tumors and it is over-expressed in ovarian carcinoma. Gene amplification is perhaps only one way by which c-erb2 gene is activated, and its overexpression might be one of the factors that promotes epithelial ovarian cancer development.
Hou
Y
Y
Department of Pathol, Shangdong Medical University, Jinan.
Wang
M
M
Liu
W
W
D018269:Carcinoma, Endometrioid / Q000235:genetics; D018284:Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / Q000235:genetics*; D018291:Cystadenoma, Mucinous / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D015870:Gene Expression; D018734:Genes, erbB-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases