Skip to main content
Log in

Genomic alterations of the c-myc protooncogene in relation to the overexpression of c-erbB2 and Ki-67 in human breast and cervix carcinomas

Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Genomic alterations of c-myc (amplification, rearrangements and hypomethylation) were investigated in 30 breast carcinomas and 20 cervix carcinomas. In breast carcinomas c-myc alterations were compared with overexpression of the c-erbB2 protooncogene and the proliferation marker Ki-67. Alterations of c-myc were found in 50% of the breast carcinomas and in 25% of the cervix carcinomas. In 23% of the breast carcinomas c-erbB2 overexpression was associated with c-myc alterations. In 17% of the cases there was overexpression of c-erbB2 without detectable alterations of c-myc. Hence, in 67% of breast cancers alterations of c-myc and/or c-erbB2 have been found, while in 81% of the samples Ki-67 expression was increased. The results suggest that the study of c-myc alterations provides an important complement to that of other prognostic indicators of breast cancer such as c-erbB2 expression.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alitalo K, Koskinen P, Mäkelä TP, Saksela K, Sistonen L, Winqvist R (1987) myc oncogenes: activation and amplification. Biochim Biophys Acta 907:1–32

    Google Scholar 

  • Bargmann CI, Hung M-C, Weinberg RA (1986) Theneu oncogene encodes an epidermal growth factor receptor-related protein. Nature 319:226–230

    Google Scholar 

  • Berger MS, Locher GW, Saurer S, Gullik WJ, Waterfield MD, Groner B, Hynes NE (1988) Correlation of c-erb-B2 gene amplification and protein expression in human breast carcinoma with nodal status and nuclear grading. Cancer Res 48:1238–1243

    Google Scholar 

  • Bishop JM (1987) The molecular genetics of cancer. Science 235:305–311

    Google Scholar 

  • Bister K, Ramsay GM, Hayman MJ (1982) Deletions within the transformation-specific RNA sequences of acute leukemia virus MC29 give rise ro partially transformation-defective mutants. J Virol 41:754–766

    Google Scholar 

  • Blin N, Stafford DW (1976) A general method for isolation of high molecular weight DNA from eukaryotes. Nucleic Acids Res 3:2303–2308

    Google Scholar 

  • Boehm TLJ, Drahovsky D (1983) Alteration of enzymatic methylation of DNA cytosines by chemical carcinogens: a mechanism involved in the initiation of carcinogenesis. J Natl Cancer Inst 71:429–433

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheah MSC, Wallace CD, Hoffman RM (1984) Hypomethylation of DNA in human cancer cells: a site-specific change in the c-myc oncogene. J Natl Cancer Inst 73:1057–1065

    Google Scholar 

  • Escot C, Theillet C, Lidereau R, Spyratos F, Champeme MH, Gest J, Callahan R (1986) Genetic alteration of the c-myc protooncogene (MYC) in human primary breast carcinomas. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 83:4834–4838

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerdes J, Lemke H, Baisch H, Wacker HH, Schwab U, Stein H (1984) Cell cycle analysis of a cell proliferation-associated human nuclear antigen defined by monoclonal antibody Ki-67. Immunology 133:1710–1715

    Google Scholar 

  • Gomez-Pedrozo M, Mohandas T, Sparkes R, Shaw J-P, Hess JF, Ayres T, Shen CJ (1987) Evolution of human cytoplasmic actin gene sequences: chromosome mapping and structural characterizations of three cytoplasmic actin-like pseudogenes including one of the Y chromosome. J Hum Evol 16:215–230

    Google Scholar 

  • Leder P, Battey J, Lenoir G, Moulding C, Murphy W, Potter H, Stewart T, Taub R (1983) Translocations among antibody genes in human cancer. Science 222:765–771

    Google Scholar 

  • Macara IG (1989) Oncogenes and cellular signal transduction. Physiol Rev 69:797–820

    Google Scholar 

  • Mariani-Costantini R, Escot C, Theillet C, Gentile A, Merlo G, Lidereau R, Callahan R (1988) In situ c-myc expression and genomic status of the c-myc locus in infiltrating ductal carcinomas of the breast. Cancer Res 48:199–205

    Google Scholar 

  • Marx D, Schauer A, Reiche C, May A, Ummenhofer L, Reles A, Rauschecker H, Sauer R, Schumacher M (1990) c-erbB2 expression in correlation to other biological parameters of breast cancer. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 116:15–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Moos M, Gallwitz D (1983) Structure of two human β-actin related processed genes one of which is located next to a simple repetitive sequence. EMBO J 2:757–761

    Google Scholar 

  • Münzel P, Bock KW (1989) Hypomethylation of c-myc protooncogene ofN-nitrosomorpholine-induced rat liver nodules and of H4IIE cells. Arch Toxicol [Suppl] 13:211–213

    Google Scholar 

  • Münzel PA, Pfohl-Leskowicz A, Röhrdanz E, Keith G, Dirheimer G, Bock KW (1991) Site-specific hypomethylation of c-myc protooncogene in liver nodules and inhibition of DNA methylation byN-nitrosomorpholine. Biochem Pharmacol 42:365–371

    Google Scholar 

  • Ocadiz R, Sauceda R, Cruz M, Graef AM, Gariglio P (1987) High correlation between molecular alterations of the c-myc oncogene and carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Cancer Res 47:4173–4177

    Google Scholar 

  • Parkin DM, Stjernswärd J, Muir CS (1984) Estimates of the worldwide frequency of twelve major cancers. Bull WHO 62:163

    Google Scholar 

  • Slamon DJ, deKernion JB, Verma IM, Cline MJ (1984) Expression of cellular oncogenes in human malignancies. Science 224:256–262

    Google Scholar 

  • Slamon DJ, Clark GM, Wong SG, Levin WJ, Ullrich A, McGuire WL (1987) Human breast cancer: Correlation of relapse and survival with amplification of theHER-2/neu oncogene. Science 235:177–182

    Google Scholar 

  • Studzinski GP, Brevli ZS, Feldman SC, Watt RA (1986) Participation of c-myc protein in DNA synthesis of human cells. Science 234:467–470

    Google Scholar 

  • Vijer MJ van de, Mooi WJ, Peterse JL, Nusse R (1988) Amplification and overexpression of the neu oncogene in human breast carcinomas. Eur J Surg Oncol 14:111–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Varmus HE (1984) The molecular genetics of cellular oncogenes. Annu Rev Genet 18:553–612

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson DK, Psallidopoulous MC, Samuel KP, Dalla-Favera R, Papas TS (1983) Nucleotide sequence analysis of human c-myc locus, chicken homologue and myelocytomatosis virus MC29 transforming gene reveals a highly conserved gene product. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 80:3642–3645

    Google Scholar 

  • Weinberg RA (1989) Oncogenes, antioncogenes and the molecular basis of multistep carcinogenesis. Cancer Res 49:3713–3721

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright C, Angus B, Nicholson S, Sainsbury JRC, Cairns J, Gullick WJ, Kelly P, Harris AL, Horne CHW (1989) Expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein: a prognostic indicator in human breast cancer. Cancer Res 49:2087–2090

    Google Scholar 

  • Yamamoto T, Shantard I, Akiyama T, Semba K, Nomura N, Miyajima N, Saito T, Toyoshima K (1986) An erb-B-related gene c-erbB-2 encodes a possible receptor protein similar to the epidermal growth factor receptor. Nature 319:230–234

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Münzel, P., Marx, D., Köchel, H. et al. Genomic alterations of the c-myc protooncogene in relation to the overexpression of c-erbB2 and Ki-67 in human breast and cervix carcinomas. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 117, 603–607 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01613296

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01613296

Key words

Navigation