Alterations of the c-erbB2 gene in human breast cancer

DNA amplification, RNA overexpression and p185 protein expression of the c-erbB2 oncogene were investigated in 109 cases of breast cancer with the aim of evaluating any correlation between the different methods. A correlation between Southern blotting and immunohistochemical analysis of paraffin-embedded material was found. Thus, amplification of the c-erbB2 oncogene leads to overexpression of the p185 protein. By contrast, no statistical correlation could be shown between RNA overexpression, measured by Northern blotting, and immunohistochemical p185 membrane stainings. It is of special interest that most of the cases that are positive for Northern blotting and negative for immunochemistry are negative for Southern blotting as well. Contradictory findings between RNA overexpression and lack of immunohistochemical staining of p185 give rise to the assumption that a defective protein is encoded, which cannot be incorporated into the substructures of the tumour cell membrane. When screening for point mutations in the transmembrane domain of the c-erbB2 oncogene, no point mutation could be detected, either by using the endonuclease FokI, which cuts at position 2012 (the point mutation in the neu gene of the rat), or by direct sequencing.