[The c-erbB-related oncoproteins in normal placenta and in gestational trophoblastic diseases (in vitro study)]

In this study the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and c-erbB-2, c-erbB-3 and c-erbB-4 oncogenes were investigated in gestational trophoblastic diseases and normal first trimester placenta. Furthermore, the possibility that macrophage (IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, TNF) and lymphocyte (IL-2, gamma-IFN, GM-CSF) cytokines effects are mediated by changes in EGFR expression were studied. Paraffin sections of 16 cases of partial mole, 25 cases of complete mole, 10 cases of gestational choriocarcinoma and 11 cases of therapeutic abortion were studied immunohistochemically for EGFR, c-erbB-2, c-erbB-3 and c-erbB-4 proteins. The presence of EGFR mRNA was studied using in situ hybridization. JEG-3 human choriocarcinoma cells were incubated with varying concentrations of interleukin 1-alpha, interleukin 1-beta, interleukin 2, gamma-interferon, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and the expression of EGFR was measured by radioimmunoassay using a murine monoclonal antibody with specificity for EGFR. Staining for EGFR was detected immunohistochemically in all cell type in gestational trophoblastic diseases and normal placenta. The levels of expression of EGFR in choriocarcinoma and syncytiotrophoblasts and cytotrophoblasts in complete mole were significantly greater than those in syncytiotrophoblasts and cytotrophoblasts in both normal placenta and partial mole (p < 0.01, p < 0.01). The immunoreactivity of c-erbB-2 was significantly stronger in choriocarcinoma and extravillous trophoblast in complete mole than that in extravillous trophoblast in partial mole and normal placenta (p < 0.02, p < 0.01, respectively). Strong immunostaining for EGFR (p = 0.02) and c-erbB-3 (p < 0.01) in extravillous trophoblasts of complete mole was found to be significantly correlated with the development of persistent postmolar gestational trophoblastic tumor. Macrophage-derived cytokines IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta and TNF significantly suppressed cell growth; this was associated with a significant increase in EGFR expression. The lymphocyte (IL-2, gamma-IFN, GM-CSF) cytokines had no significant effect on either EGFR expression or cell growth. These findings support the concept that cytokines may act as paracrine mediators of autocrine processes involved in choriocarcinoma cell growth regulation by modulating growth factor receptor expression. The EGFR-related family of oncogenes may be important in the pathogenesis and prognosis of gestational trophoblastic diseases.