1Department of General Surgery, College of Medicine, Hallym University. 2Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Hallym University. 3Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea. 4Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: to evaluate the relationship between the expression of EGF receptor gene family and clinico-pathologic parameters.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared adenocarcinoma tissue with normal mucosa obtained from same patients in 60 cases.
The amplifications of DNA was examined by slot blot, while the expression of mRNA by ribonuclease protection assay, and that of protein by immunohistochemistry.
RESULTS: Expression of EGFR mRNA was observed in 9 of 59, that of c-erbB-2 mRNA in 8 of 57, that of c-erbB-3 mRNA in 4 of 60, and that of c-erbB-4 mRNA in 13 of 59. The expression of EGFR in expanding type showed a higher tendency than that in infiltrative type. The expression of c-erbB-2 in poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma showed a higher tendency than that in well differentiated adenocarcinoma. And expression of c-erbB-2 was correlated with presence of endolymphatic tumor emboli. No significant correlation was observed between expression of EGFR mRNA and that of its protein or amplification of its DNA. Similarly, No clear relationship between c-erbB-2 gene amplification and expression of mRNA or proteins was detected.
CONCLUSION: EGFR, c-erbB-2, c-erbB-3, and c-erbB-4 were expressed in gastric adenocarcinoma in Korea. The presence of EGF receptor gene family by various tumor cells suggested that it may play an important role in adenocarcinoma.
Therefore further studies are currently being carried out to clarify the role of these oncogenes in tumor behavior and gastric carcinogenesis.
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