Analysis of Epithelial Growth Factor-Receptor (EGFR) Phosphorylation in Uterine Smooth Muscle Tumors: Correlation to Mucin-1 and Galectin-3 Expression

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Tobias Weissenbacher²  Thomas Vrekoussis²  David Roeder²  Antonis Makrigiannakis⁴  Doris Mayr³  Nina Ditsch⁵  Klaus Friese²  Udo Jeschke¹ 

[1] Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Innenstadt Campus, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich 80337, Germany; E-Mails:;Department of Pathology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich 80337, Germany; E-Mail:;Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology & Laboratory of Human Reproduction, Medical School, University of Crete, Iraklion 71110, Greece; E-Mail:;Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Grosshadern Campus, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich 81377, Germany; E-Mails:

关键词: myometrium;    leiomyoma;    leiomyosarcoma;    phosphorylation;    EGFR;    tyrosine kinase;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms14034783

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Uterine fibroids are the commonest uterine benign tumors. A potential mechanism of malignant transformation from leiomyomas to leiomyosarcomas has been described. Tyrosine phosphorylation is a key mechanism that controls biological functions, such as proliferation and cell differentiation. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the phosphorylation of epithelial growth factor-receptor (EGFR) in normal myometrium, uterine myomas and uterine leiomyosarcomas. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples from normal myometrium, leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas were studied. Samples were immunohistochemically (IHC) assessed using the anti-EGFR phosphorylation of Y845 (pEGFR-Y845) and anti-pEGFR-Y1173 phosphorylation-specific antibodies. IHC staining was evaluated using a semiquantitative score. The expression of pEGFR-Y845 was significantly upregulated in leiomyosarcomas (p < 0.001) compared to leiomyomas and normal myometrium. In contrast, pEGFR-Y1173 did not differ significantly between the three groups of the study. Correlation analysis revealed an overall positive correlation between pEGFR Y845 and mucin 1 (MUC1). Further subgroup analysis within the tumoral group (myomas and leiomyosarcomas) revealed an additional negative correlation between pEGFR Y845 and galectin-3 (gal-3) staining. On the contrary no significant correlation was noted within the non-tumoral group. An upregulated EGFR phosphorylation of Y845 in leiomyosarcomas compared to leiomyomas implicates EGFR activation at this special receptor site. Due to these pEGFR-Y845 variations, it can be postulated that MUC1 interacts with it, whereas gal-3 seems to be cleaved from Y845 phosphorylated EGFR. Further research on this field could focus on differences in EGFR pathways as a potentially advantageous diagnostic tool for investigation of benign and malignant signal transduction processes.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.