Coexpression of c-erbB 1-4 receptor proteins in human glioblastomas. An immunohistochemical study

Studies support involvement of the erbB/HER (human epidermal growth factor receptor) family, comprising the c-erbB-1/2/3/4 receptor proteins, in the tumourigenesis of human gliomas, raising their potential role in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to these tumours. Reliable detection systems for these molecules in glioma tissue are therefore needed. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded sections from twenty-one human glioblastomas were investigated by standard immunohistochemical procedures for expression of c-erbB-1/2/3/4 receptor proteins using commercial antibodies. All the antibodies used worked satisfactorily on paraffin-sections. For EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) two antibodies reactive against the external and internal domain were used. The first revealed positive immunoreactivity in 13 of 21 tumours (62 %), whereas all were positive with the latter. All glioblastomas were negative for the mutated variant of EGFR (i.e. EGFRvIII). Nine of 21 tumours (43 %) were immunoreactive for c-erbB-2, 19 of 20 tumours (95 %) for c-erbB-3, and 21 of 21 for c-erbB-4. Kaplan-Meier plots as a function of growth factor receptor expression did not show any significant association with survival among the glioblastoma patients. In conclusion, immunohistochemistry is well suited for detection of erb receptor proteins in glioblastoma tissue and demonstrated abundant and simultaneous immunoreactivity of these receptors.