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Query: UNIPROT:P04626 (erbB-2)
 5,251 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Gastric cancer involves changes in multiple oncogenes and multiple suppressor genes, and it causes genetic instability. Aberrant expression and amplification of the c-met gene, inactivation of the p53 gene, and CD44 abnormal transcripts are common events of both well differentiated and poorly differentiated gastric cancers. Amplification of the cyclin E gene is also observed in gastric cancer regardless of histologic type. Decreased expression of the pic1 (p21) gene occurs independent of the p53 mutations. In addition, K-ras mutations, c-erbB-2 gene amplification, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and mutations of the APC gene, LOH of the bcl-2 gene, and LOH at the DCC locus are preferentially associated with well differentiated gastric cancer. Moreover, LOH on chromosome 1q is involved in the progression of well differentiated cancer. Precancerous lesions, including hyperplastic polyp, intestinal metaplasia, and adenoma, share genetic changes found in well differentiated cancers. Conversely, genetic instability may be involved in the first step of stomach carcinogenesis of the poorly differentiated type. Reduction or loss of cadherin and catenins, K-sam gene amplification, and c-met gene amplification are necessary for the development and progression of poorly differentiated or scirrhous carcinoma. Interaction between cell-adhesion molecules in the c-met expressed tumor cells and hepatocyte growth factor from stromal cells is implicated in the morphogenesis of two types of gastric cancer.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Molecular biology of gastric cancer. 767 88

Endometrial cancers have been considered to be less prevalent in Japan than in Western countries. However, with the increase in life expectancy, the Westernization of the Japanese diet, and changes in the hormonal environment, the prevalence of the disease has gradually increased even in our country. Similar increases in cancers of the breasts, lungs, colons, and ovaries have been noted in recent years. Much is still unknown regarding the pathogenesis and natural history of endometrial cancer. Although endometrial hyperplasia is considered to be a precancerous lesion of endometrial carcinoma, the relationship between those diseases has not been elucidated to the same degree as that between cervical cancer and cervical dysplasia, or carcinoma in situ. Research findings in genetic oncology have revealed that tumorigenesis involves a multi-step process. It is probable that activation of multiple genes, inactivation of anti-oncogenes, and disappearance of normal inhibitor genes occur in the process of the development of endometrial cancer. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the relationship between oncogenes and the development of endometrial cancer. In addition, the significance of endometrial hyperplasia as a clinical entity is also be evaluated. The roles played by oncogenes in endometrial cancers and endometrial hyperplasias were examined using the most recent molecular biological and immunohistochemical methods. Also, the differences in cellular proliferation and tissue invasiveness were discussed. Results obtained were as follows. Evaluation of cell proliferation (PCNA, FCM) revealed that there was no difference in proliferative activity between atypical hyperplasia and well differentiated adenocarcinoma. Evaluation of oncogene abnormalities (c-myc,c-erbB-2,K-ras,p53) revealed that the development of endometrial cancer was a multistep process involving several oncogenes, as it has been noted in the development of other cancers. Evaluation of extracellular matrix and related factors (cathepsin D, laminin, type IV collagen, tenascin, CD44) showed that tissue invasiveness differed between atypical hyperplasia and well differentiated adenocarcinoma.
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PMID:[Evaluation of the degree of biological behavior in endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma: an investigation of proliferative activity, oncogene, and extracellular matrix]. 810 84

Infection with erbB-2 (E) of Ha-ras (H) oncogene-transfected cells has been previously shown to cooperatively induce anchorage-independent growth of the MCF10A human mammary epithelial cell line in vitro, but not to induce nude mouse tumorigenicity. Here we show that oncogene-transformed MCF10A are able to halt in the lungs of nude mice, a sign of organ colonization potential. We have therefore studied the transformants for in vitro migratory and invasive properties known to correlate with the metastatic potential of human mammary carcinoma cells in nude mice. MCF10A transfected with Ha-ras, infected with a recombinant retroviral vector containing the human c-erB-2 proto-oncogene (MCF10A-HE cells), show a higher invasive index than either the single transfectant (MCF10A-H) or MCF10A-erB-2(MCF10A-E) cells in the Boyden chamber chemotaxis and chemoinvasion assays. The MCF10A-HE cells also adopted an invasive stellate growth pattern when plated or embedded in Matrigel, in contrast to the spherical colonies formed by the single transformants MCF10A-H, MCF10A-E, and the parental cells. Dot-blot analysis of gelatinase A and TIMP-2 mRNA levels revealed increasing gelatinase A mRNA levels (HE > E > H > MCF10A) and reduced TIMP-2 expression in both single and double transformants. Furthermore, MCF10A-HE cells show more MMP-2 activity than parental MCF10A cells or the single transformants. CD44 analysis revealed differential isoform banding for the MCF10A-HE cells compared to parental cells, MCF10A-H and MCF10A-E, accompanied by increased binding of hyaluronan by the double transformants. Our results indicate that erB-2 and Ha-ras co-expression can induce a more aggressive phenotype in vitro, representative of the malignancy of mammary carcinomas.
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PMID:Invasive phenotype of MCF10A cells overexpressing c-Ha-ras and c-erbB-2 oncogenes. 884 40

Overexpression of the crbB-2 gene-encoded p185(c-erbB-2) is correlated with early onset of metastasis in breast cancer patients. Furthermore, the detection of blood-borne epithelium-derived clustered cells expressing p185(c-erbB-2) was related to advanced stages in breast cancer. To further elucidate the receptor's function in the metastatic process of human breast cancers, we analyzed disaggregated cells and cell clusters from freshly dissected breast cancer tissues. We studied whether their capability of extravasation is correlated with their expression of c-erbB-2. A model for the venular wall was constructed by growing human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) on porous membranes coated with basement membrane extracellular matrix. In four control breast cancer cell lines (SK-BR-3, MCF-7, MDA-MB-468, and MDA-MB-468, the latter transfected with a full-length c-erbB-2 cDNA vector) producing different levels of the c-erbB-2 receptor, the expression level correlated positively with the invasiveness of the cells. The invasive, predominantly clustered cells from 14 of 23 tumors were positively stained for p185(c-erbB-2) by immunocytochemistry. Furthermore, we show that the invasive cell populations express the metastasis-associated proteins matrix metalloproteinase MMP-2, CD44, and integrins alpha(v)beta3 and alpha6. In this first study on the behavior of cells and cell clusters from disaggregated operated cancers in an extravasation model, we could demonstrate the presence of c-erbB-2-expressing cell subpopulations within the individual breast cancers that are presumably of high metastatic potential.
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PMID:Selection of potentially metastatic subpopulations expressing c-erbB-2 from breast cancer tissue by use of an extravasation model. 984 70

CD44 has diverse functions in cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions and may be a determinant of metastatic and invasive behaviour in carcinomas. The immunohistochemical expression of CD44 in a series of 110 colorectal carcinomas and 25 adenomas was examined using the monoclonal mouse anti-human phagocytic glycoprotein-1, CD44 (clone DF 1485) in correlation with the expression of basement membrane (BM) antigens (type IV collagen, laminin), fibronectin, cathepsin D, p53, Rb, bcl-2, c-erbB-2, EGFR, proliferation indices (Ki-67, PCNA) and with other conventional clinicopathological variables. In adenomas, low CD44 expression (<10% of neoplastic cells) was present in 16%, moderate (10-50% of neoplastic cells) in 52% and extensive (>50% of neoplastic cells) in 32% of cases. In carcinomas, low CD44 expression was found in 14.5%, moderate in 28.2% and extensive in 57.30%. Although the CD44 expression was higher in carcinomas than in adenomas, we found no statistically significant difference between these two groups. CD44 expression in carcinomas was positively correlated with tumour size (P=0.018), tumour cells cathepsin D (P=0.022), stromal cell cathepsin D (P=0.003) and Rb protein (P=0.021). An inverse correlation was observed between CD44 and the anti-apoptotic protein expression bcl-2 in adenocarcinomas (P=0.039) and in adenomas (P=0.021). These data suggest that CD44 may be involved in the process of invasion and metastasis, probably with the cooperation of cathepsin D. Its expression may be an indicator of poor prognosis in colorectal adenocarcinomas.
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PMID:Glycoprotein CD44 expression in colorectal neoplasms. An immuno-histochemical study including correlation with cathepsin D, extracellular matrix components, p53, Rb, bcl-2, c-erbB-2, EGFR and proliferation indices. 1007 Dec 34

Metallothionein (MT) is a low molecular weight, cysteine-rich, zinc-binding protein that may have a function in cellular repair processes, growth and differentiation. Using a monoclonal antibody (E9) to metallothionein, we investigated the immunohistochemical expression of MT in routinely fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue from 98 cases of female breast carcinomas. The MT expression was studied in comparison with the expression of the basement membrane (BM) antigens (type IV collagen, laminin), fibronectin, cathepsin D, adhesion molecule CD44, p53 protein, the pRb, c-erbB-2 oncoprotein, EGFR, stromelysin-1, proliferation indices (Ki-67, PCNA), steroid receptor content as well as with other conventional clinicopathological parameters of breast cancer. Strong MT expression was observed in the majority of tumour cells in 18.4% of tumours, focal MT positivity in 13.3% and almost complete lack of MT expression in 68.4% of cases (mean value 33.36 +/- 26.36). The MT expression in carcinoma cells was strongly associated with the DCIS component of the tumour (p < 0.0001). High values of MT were correlated with low steroid receptor status (p = 0.08 for ER receptor and p = 0.019 for PgR receptor content). MT positive cases were correlated with stromelysin-1 expression (p = 0.059) and cathepsin D (p = 0.058). These findings suggest that MT expression is characteristic of the early phase of breast carcinogenesis, possibly regulated by hormones, and could be a new potential prognostic marker in breast cancer.
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PMID:Immunohistochemical localization of metallothionein in human breast cancer in comparison with cathepsin D, stromelysin-1, CD44, extracellular matrix components, P53, Rb, C-erbB-2, EGFR, steroid receptor content and proliferation. 1047 Jan 61

Pancreatic cancer belongs to the neoplasms which are characterised by increasing morbidity and mortality. Five-year survival rates of about 0.4% are the norm, and little has changed in the last 70 years. Important etiological factors are age, sex, diet, tobacco smoking, alcohol abuse, occupation and chemical exposure, hereditary chronic pancreatitis, and previous surgery (cholecystectomy and gastrectomy). The majority of exocrine tumours of the pancreas are malignant and 80-90% of them comprise ductal adenocarcinomas. The development and growth of pancreatic carcinoma appears to be caused by a progressive accumulation of multiple genetic abnormalities. This includes oncogene (K-ras) activation, loss of tumour-suppressor p53 gene function and overexpression of growth factors and their ligands. The morphological background for the development of pancreatic carcinoma is ductal epithelial hyperplasia. Current molecular studies have resulted in the identification of cell clones exhibiting the same genetic alterations (K-ras and p53 mutations) as in infiltrating pancreatic carcinoma. Pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia is only partially defined. The purpose of our study was to evaluate Ki-67 proliferative index and HER-2/neu gene expression in pancreatic intraepithelial proliferative lesions as a sign of increasing epithelial proliferation and dysplasia. Additionally we made an attempt to apply morphometry in demarcating between intraepithelial proliferations of "reactive" type and proliferations with tendency towards progression to cancer. Another aim of the study was to evaluate the expression of bcl-2 and p53 genes in various types of pancreatic intraepithelial proliferations and in pancreatic cancer and to answer the question whether they interact in the process of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia. We have also undertaken investigations aiming at determination of the CD44s gene and its v6 isoform expression in intraductal and invasive pancreatic carcinoma, attempting to correlate this expression with the p53 gene mutations. The results of our study indicate that intraductal pancreatic proliferations form a group of heterogeneous lesions possessing different proliferative activity of cells, karyometric features and HER-2/neu, bcl-2 and p53 genes expression. The precancerous lesion in the pancreas may be atypical papillary hyperplasia, which is similar to intraductal carcinoma with respect to the proliferative activity of cells and HER-2/neu, bcl-2 and p53 expression. Pancreatic carcinoma is characterised by high p53, CD44s and CD44v6 expression and low bcl-2 expression. CD44 and p53 genes expression is independent and between bcl-2 and p53 expression there is an inverse correlation. The p53 and CD44v6 expression is the higher the lower is the histological grade of the pancreatic carcinoma.
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PMID:[Morphologic, morphometric and immunohistochemical studies on pancreatic intraductal hyperplasia and infiltrating carcinoma]. 1090 69

An important role for beta-catenin pathways in colorectal carcinogenesis was first suggested by the protein's association with adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) protein, and by evidence of dysregulation of beta-catenin protein expression at all stages of the adenoma-carcinoma sequence. Recent studies have, however, shown that yet more components of colorectal carcinogenesis are linked to beta-catenin pathways. Pro-oncogenic factors that also release beta-catenin from the adherens complex and/or encourage translocation to the nucleus include ras, epidermal growth factor (EGF), c-erbB-2, PKC-betaII, MUC1, and PPAR-gamma, whereas anti-oncogenic factors that also inhibit nuclear beta-catenin signaling include transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta, retinoic acid, and vitamin D. Association of nuclear beta-catenin with the T cell factor (TCF)/lymphoid enhancer factor (LEF) family of transcription factors promotes the expression of several compounds that have important roles in the development and progression of colorectal carcinoma, namely: c-myc, cyclin D1, gastrin, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-7, urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (aPAR), CD44 proteins, and P-glycoprotein. Finally, genetic aberrations of several components of the beta-catenin pathways, eg, Frizzled (Frz), AXIN, and TCF-4, may potentially contribute to colorectal carcinogenesis. In discussing the above interactions, this review demonstrates that beta-catenin represents a key molecule in the development of colorectal carcinoma.
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PMID:Beta-catenin--a linchpin in colorectal carcinogenesis? 1183 57

Large-core needle biopsies are frequently used for the preoperative evaluation of the breast lesions. In addition to initial diagnostic information, they can show the status of molecular markers with predictive and prognostic value and further contribute to an optimal selection of treatment strategy. So far, the potential use of large-core needle biopsies in assessment of marker profile of the breast lesions was studied using the immunostaining approaches. In this work, we sought to determine whether analysis of the large-core needle biopsy by semi-quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction reveals molecular data that correspond with the marker status of the subsequently removed tumor. Five molecular markers including ER, PR, c-erbB-2/HER-2/neu, c-erbB-3/HER-3, and CD44 were assessed on mRNA isolated from 23 large-core needle biopsies and corresponding surgical breast cancer specimens using beta2- microglobulin as an internal standard. Significant or highly significant correlation between core biopsies and excised tumors was observed for each marker when the mRNA expression status was scored as positive or negative, with the concordance of the data ranging from 73.9% to 86%. Using the dichotomous scoring, majority of the biopsies (75%) displayed molecular profile that was either identical to the profile of the related tumor specimen, or with the difference in one marker. However, no significant correlation was found when the levels of the markers were expressed as continuous variables, possibly due to intratumoral cell heterogeneity. These results suggest potential usefulness and reliability of semi-quantitative RT PCR in the evaluation of large-core needle biopsies with regard to marker positivity or negativity. On the other hand, the marker-related data expressed as continuous variables cannot be accurately assessed on the large- core needle specimens using this approach, indicating the need for methodological improvements.
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PMID:Semi-quantitative RT-PCR assessment of molecular markers in breast large-core needle biopsies. 1564 Sep 49

Breast carcinomas have been reported to contain a subpopulation of CD44+/CD24- tumor cells with stem cell-like properties. This study investigates the significance of these two molecules in connection with tumor aggression and prognosis. The phenotypic profile of 139 breast carcinomas was investigated in paraffin sections using markers previously associated with stem cell-like properties (CD44, CD24), the "triple-state" (ER, PR, c-erb-B2), and angiogenesis (CD31). Tumors with >10% of CD44 and CD24 cancer cells were considered positive. The prevalence of CD44+ and CD24+ breast carcinomas in the series was 51.8% and 41.7%, respectively. Patients with the CD44(+)/CD24(-) phenotype had a 10-year lower median age at presentation and harbored tumors with a triple-negative state. They experienced an unfavorable prognosis. Lack of CD44 expression was associated with lymph node involvement, regardless of CD24 status, whereas the lack of both CD44 and CD24 was connected with high histologic grade and unfavorable prognosis which, notably, was the worse among all phenotypes. In multivariate analysis, the CD44(-)/CD24(-) phenotype, the nodal involvement, the vascular density and the ER-/PR-/c-erbB-2-profile were independent prognostic variables. It is concluded that assessment of the CD44/CD24 status may reveal distinct subgroups of breast cancer patients with different clinical behavior. The unsatisfactory response of the triple-negative tumors to current chemotherapy and their intimate link with the CD44(+)/CD24(-) phenotype, makes CD44 targeting an attractive therapeutic alternative for breast cancer patients. The strong association between the CD44(-)/CD24(-) phenotype and prognosis requires further investigation.
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PMID:The CD44+/CD24- phenotype relates to 'triple-negative' state and unfavorable prognosis in breast cancer patients. 2040 47


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