HER-3 in colorectal tumourigenesis: from mRNA levels through protein status to clinicopathologic relationships
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Updated: Jul 11, 2026
Molecular Profiling of the Invasive Tumor Microenvironment in a 3-Dimensional Model of Colorectal Cancer Cells and Ex vivo Fibroblasts
Published on: April 29, 2014
Petros D Grivas1, Anna Antonacopoulou, Vassiliki Tzelepi
1Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece.
Introduction:
Colorectal cancer is a major cause of cancer mortality in the Western world. Although HER-3 signalling is known to be implicated in colorectal carcinogenesis, the significance of its expression, localisation and phosphorylation remains elusive.
Methods:
Quantitative RT-PCR for HER-3 mRNA and immunohistochemistry for HER-3 and phosphorylated HER-3 (pHER-3) protein were performed in normal tissue, adenomas and carcinomas from 140 patients with colorectal cancer.
Results:
HER-3 was detected both in the cytoplasm and nucleus, whereas pHER-3 was observed in the nucleus and membrane of cells. A possible switch in HER-3 topography from the nucleus to the cytoplasm during colorectal tumourigenesis is suggested. The expression of pHER-3 did not differ significantly in normal tissue, adenomas and carcinomas, but was related to disease stage. HER-3 mRNA overexpression was significantly associated with decreased time to disease progression. It was also correlated with higher median age, left colon and rectal tumour sites and lymph node involvement.
Conclusion:
We postulate that HER-3 is critically involved in colorectal tumourigenesis and its expression/phosphorylation might be of prognostic significance.
