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. 1987 May;7(5):2019–2023. doi: 10.1128/mcb.7.5.2019

Amplification of the neu (c-erbB-2) oncogene in human mammmary tumors is relatively frequent and is often accompanied by amplification of the linked c-erbA oncogene.

M van de Vijver, R van de Bersselaar, P Devilee, C Cornelisse, J Peterse, R Nusse
PMCID: PMC365313  PMID: 3299059

Abstract

We investigated alterations in the structure and expression of oncogenes in mammary tumors and mammary tumor-derived cell lines. In 16 of 95 samples, we detected amplification of the human neu oncogene, also known as c-erB-2, accompanied by overexpression in the tumors from which intact RNA could be isolated. In 10 of these DNAs, the linked oncogene c-erbA was also amplified, whereas another gene on human chromosome 17, p53, was present in normal copy numbers. Overexpression of c-erbA could not be detected in the tumors analyzed. The relatively high frequency of neu amplification points to a functional role in human breast cancer. Coamplification of the c-erbA oncogene could contribute to this disease as well but is most likely fortuitous.

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Selected References

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