Expression of c-erbB-2 oncogene protein, epidermal growth factor receptor, and TGF-beta1 in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To detect the relations of c-erbB-2 oncogene protein, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) to the progression or metastasis of pancreatic carcinoma.


METHODS
Using streptavidinbiotin complex (SABC) method, c-erbB-2 oncongene protein, we examined immunohistochemically EGFR and TGF-beta1 expressions in wax-tissue sections from 10 individuals with normal pancreas (NP), 13 patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) and 36 patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PC).


RESULTS
The positive expression rates of c-cerbB-2 oncogene protein, EGFR and TGF-beta1 in the NP, CP and PC groups were 0, 0, 10%; 7.7%, 7.7%, 7.7%; and 41.7%, 50.0%, 44.4%, respectively. The positive expression rates of the three specific proteins increased more significantly in the PC group than in the NP and CP groups (P<0.05). The individual expression of c-erbB-2, EGFR and TGF-beta1 was not related to the age and sex of the patients as well as the site, size and histopathological grade of tumors (P>0.05), but to the clinical stage of tumors (P<0.01). The coexpression rate of the three proteins was 27.8% (10/36). This coexpression in the PC group was correlated with the histopathological grades and clinical stages of tumors (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Detection of c-erbB-2 oncogene protein, EGFR, and TGF-beta1 expressions in pancreatic tissue is helpful to judge the malignancy, progression, and metastasis of PC.
Zhang
Li
L
Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanhua University, Hengyang 421001, China. geyuha8@public.cs.hn.cn
Yuan
Shi-Zhen
SZ
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010183:Pancreatic Ducts; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1
D066246:ErbB Receptors; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human