Analysis of c-erbB-2 protein expression in conjunction with DNA content using multiparameter flow cytometry

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Breast cancer is a significant cause of mortality in women.
• Prognostic factors include lymph node status, tumor size, and receptor status.
• The c-erbB-2 protooncogene is amplified in a subset of breast tumors, leading to increased protein expression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate DNA content and c-erbB-2 protein expression in breast cancer.
• To establish a reliable flow cytometry method for analyzing c-erbB-2 expression in fixed cells and tissues.
• To explore the potential of this method for analyzing archived clinical samples.

Main Methods:

• Multiparameter flow cytometry was used to analyze DNA content and c-erbB-2 protein expression.
• Cells and tissues were fixed in 70% ethanol, preserving cellular integrity and antigen reactivity.
• Quantitative flow cytometry was compared with established semiquantitative techniques.

Main Results:

• Flow cytometric analysis of c-erbB-2 expression in ethanol-fixed cells is a sensitive and quantitative method.
• The method correlates well with previously documented semiquantitative techniques.
• This approach can detect abnormal cell populations missed by DNA content analysis alone.

Conclusions:

• Flow cytometry offers a feasible and reliable method for quantifying c-erbB-2 expression in breast cancer.
• This technique is suitable for analyzing archived clinical samples.
• Further research is needed to establish the prognostic value of c-erbB-2 in breast cancer using this method.