Epidermal growth factor receptor expression in pancreatic lesions induced in the rat by azaserine

In the present study, the expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was investigated in putative preneoplastic and neoplastic acinar cell lesions induced in the rat pancreas by azaserine, using Northern blotting, in situ hybridisation (ISH) and immunohistochemistry. EGFR protein leve...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:British journal of cancer 1996-07, Vol.74 (1), p.92-98
Main Authors: Visser, CJT, de Weger, RA, van Blokland, WTM, Seifert-Bock, I, Kobrin, MS, Korc, M, Woutersen, RA
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal tumors. Experimental tumors
Animals
Azaserine
Biological and medical sciences
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biomedicine
Blotting, Northern
Cancer Research
Carcinogens
Drug Resistance
Epidemiology
ErbB Receptors - analysis
Experimental digestive system and abdominal tumors
experimental-oncology
Immunohistochemistry
In Situ Hybridization
Medical sciences
Molecular Medicine
Neoplasm Proteins - analysis
Oncology
Pancreatic Neoplasms - chemically induced
Pancreatic Neoplasms - ultrastructure
Precancerous Conditions - chemically induced
Precancerous Conditions - pathology
Precancerous Conditions - ultrastructure
Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen - analysis
Rats
Rats, Wistar
RNA, Messenger - analysis
Tumors
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Summary:In the present study, the expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was investigated in putative preneoplastic and neoplastic acinar cell lesions induced in the rat pancreas by azaserine, using Northern blotting, in situ hybridisation (ISH) and immunohistochemistry. EGFR protein levels were decreased in putative preneoplastic eosinophilic acinar cell lesions (atypical acinar cell nodules, AACN) in comparison with normal acinar cells of the pancreas. However, EGFR mRNA expression correlated positively with the volume of AACN in pancreatic homogenates and ISH showed equal or stronger EGFR mRNA expression in AACN than in the surrounding normal acinar cells. Neither EGFR protein nor EGFR mRNA was detected in more advanced lesions such as acinar adenocarcinomas (in situ). Moreover, EGFR protein expression showed an inverse relationship with the mitotic rate of the acinar cells. These findings suggest that down-regulation of EGFR at the protein level may abrogate negative constraints on cell growth, which may stimulate the development of putative preneoplastic AACN to more advanced lesions and, ultimately, acinar adenocarcinomas.
ISSN:0007-0920
1532-1827
DOI:10.1038/bjc.1996.321