Evaluation of C-ErbB-2 Overexpression and Her-2/neu Gene Copy Number Heterogeneity in Barrett’s Adenocarcinoma

Amplifiction of the Her-2/neu gene is accompanied by overexpression of its cell surface receptor product, c‐erbB‐2 protein. To investigate the degree of intratumoural heterogeneity we applied immunohistochemistry in primary Barrett’s adenocarcinoma (BCA) (n = 6) and dysplasia adjacent to the carcino...

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Main Authors: Axel Walch, Karin Bink, Peter Gais, Stefan Stangl, Peter Hutzler, Michaela Aubele, James Mueller, Heinz Höfler, Martin Werner
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2000-01-01
Series:Analytical Cellular Pathology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2000/947249
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author Axel Walch
Karin Bink
Peter Gais
Stefan Stangl
Peter Hutzler
Michaela Aubele
James Mueller
Heinz Höfler
Martin Werner
author_facet Axel Walch
Karin Bink
Peter Gais
Stefan Stangl
Peter Hutzler
Michaela Aubele
James Mueller
Heinz Höfler
Martin Werner
author_sort Axel Walch
collection DOAJ
description Amplifiction of the Her-2/neu gene is accompanied by overexpression of its cell surface receptor product, c‐erbB‐2 protein. To investigate the degree of intratumoural heterogeneity we applied immunohistochemistry in primary Barrett’s adenocarcinoma (BCA) (n = 6) and dysplasia adjacent to the carcinoma (n = 4). In addition, fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) was performed in primary BCA (n=5) and dysplastic areas (n=4). For an objective evaluation digital image analysis and laser scanning microscopy were used. Five of six BCA showed a marked intratumoural heterogeneous staining pattern ranging from areas in which the tumour cells were negative or faintly positive to tumour areas with a strong staining of the entire membrane. Among the two dysplastic areas also a heterogenous staining pattern was observed. FISH analysis revealed marked heterogeneity of intratumoural gene copy number changes in all BCA showing populations with different fractions of cells with polysomy, low level amplification and high level amplification. One dysplasia showed a minor population with Her‐2/neu signal clusters. In conclusion, we observed marked intratumoural heterogeneity of c‐erbB‐2 protein overexpression and Her‐2/neu gene copy number in the majority of the primary BCA analyzed. Digital image analysis and laser scanning microscopy were helpful in quantifying the variations in protein expression and DNA copy number in individual tumour cells. The observed heterogeneity could hamper the exact diagnostic determination of the c‐erbB‐2 status in small biopsies and possibly influence the effectiveness of a potential c‐erbB‐2 targeting therapy.
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spelling doaj-art-0493ec65ec0642efa047ca66b01af4f12025-08-20T02:03:07ZengWileyAnalytical Cellular Pathology0921-89121878-36512000-01-01201253210.1155/2000/947249Evaluation of C-ErbB-2 Overexpression and Her-2/neu Gene Copy Number Heterogeneity in Barrett’s AdenocarcinomaAxel Walch0Karin Bink1Peter Gais2Stefan Stangl3Peter Hutzler4Michaela Aubele5James Mueller6Heinz Höfler7Martin Werner8GSF‐National Research Center for Environment and Health, Institute of Pathology, Neuherberg, GermanyTechnical University Munich, Institute of Pathology, Munich, GermanyGSF‐National Research Center for Environment and Health, Institute of Pathology, Neuherberg, GermanyGSF‐National Research Center for Environment and Health, Institute of Pathology, Neuherberg, GermanyGSF‐National Research Center for Environment and Health, Institute of Pathology, Neuherberg, GermanyGSF‐National Research Center for Environment and Health, Institute of Pathology, Neuherberg, GermanyTechnical University Munich, Department of Surgery, Munich, GermanyGSF‐National Research Center for Environment and Health, Institute of Pathology, Neuherberg, GermanyTechnical University Munich, Institute of Pathology, Munich, GermanyAmplifiction of the Her-2/neu gene is accompanied by overexpression of its cell surface receptor product, c‐erbB‐2 protein. To investigate the degree of intratumoural heterogeneity we applied immunohistochemistry in primary Barrett’s adenocarcinoma (BCA) (n = 6) and dysplasia adjacent to the carcinoma (n = 4). In addition, fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) was performed in primary BCA (n=5) and dysplastic areas (n=4). For an objective evaluation digital image analysis and laser scanning microscopy were used. Five of six BCA showed a marked intratumoural heterogeneous staining pattern ranging from areas in which the tumour cells were negative or faintly positive to tumour areas with a strong staining of the entire membrane. Among the two dysplastic areas also a heterogenous staining pattern was observed. FISH analysis revealed marked heterogeneity of intratumoural gene copy number changes in all BCA showing populations with different fractions of cells with polysomy, low level amplification and high level amplification. One dysplasia showed a minor population with Her‐2/neu signal clusters. In conclusion, we observed marked intratumoural heterogeneity of c‐erbB‐2 protein overexpression and Her‐2/neu gene copy number in the majority of the primary BCA analyzed. Digital image analysis and laser scanning microscopy were helpful in quantifying the variations in protein expression and DNA copy number in individual tumour cells. The observed heterogeneity could hamper the exact diagnostic determination of the c‐erbB‐2 status in small biopsies and possibly influence the effectiveness of a potential c‐erbB‐2 targeting therapy.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2000/947249
spellingShingle Axel Walch
Karin Bink
Peter Gais
Stefan Stangl
Peter Hutzler
Michaela Aubele
James Mueller
Heinz Höfler
Martin Werner
Evaluation of C-ErbB-2 Overexpression and Her-2/neu Gene Copy Number Heterogeneity in Barrett’s Adenocarcinoma
Analytical Cellular Pathology
title Evaluation of C-ErbB-2 Overexpression and Her-2/neu Gene Copy Number Heterogeneity in Barrett’s Adenocarcinoma
title_full Evaluation of C-ErbB-2 Overexpression and Her-2/neu Gene Copy Number Heterogeneity in Barrett’s Adenocarcinoma
title_fullStr Evaluation of C-ErbB-2 Overexpression and Her-2/neu Gene Copy Number Heterogeneity in Barrett’s Adenocarcinoma
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of C-ErbB-2 Overexpression and Her-2/neu Gene Copy Number Heterogeneity in Barrett’s Adenocarcinoma
title_short Evaluation of C-ErbB-2 Overexpression and Her-2/neu Gene Copy Number Heterogeneity in Barrett’s Adenocarcinoma
title_sort evaluation of c erbb 2 overexpression and her 2 neu gene copy number heterogeneity in barrett s adenocarcinoma
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2000/947249
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