title: Could the truncated variant of ERBB2 be present in the squamous carcinomas of the cervix?
abstract: ERBB2, a ligand-less membrane receptor, is frequently overexpressed in a number of human tumors, contributing to uncontrolled cell proliferation. In some cases, gene amplification correlates with protein overexpression and predicts response to trastuzumab. We analyzed the expression of ERBB2 in a group of 40 patients diagnosed with infiltrating squamous cervical carcinomas (ISCC) using a microarray. Immunochemistry was performed using two different antibodies, one against the extramembrane domain and the other one for the intramembrane domain. Ten of the 40 cases included in the study could not be evaluated. Of the 30 remaining biopsies, 13 (42%) showed immunoreactivity only with the antibody against the intramembrane domain. In 5 (16.12%), both intramembrane and extramembrane immunoreactivity was observed, and 12 (40%) were negative for both antibodies. Looking at our results, we propose that, in some ISCC, there is a rupture of the ERBB2 receptor, and this event, with slight genetic amplification, could explain the unfavorable response to trastuzumab observed in some ISCC descript for some authors.
authors.forename: Carlota
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Molina
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baró
authors.forename: Anabel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aguilar
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De las Heras
authors.forename: Pere
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fusté
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mancebo
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carreras
authors.forename: Sergi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alameda
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D000068878:Trastuzumab; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human