Association between the HER2 expression and histological differentiation in Wilms tumor

Abstract

Human epidermal growth factor receptors (HER) play a critical role in the branching morphogenesis of renal tubules. In the current study, we analyzed the expression of HER2 in Wilms tumor and assessed the role of this gene in the tumorgenesis of Wilms tumor. During the period from 1960 to 2005, 40 patients with Wilms tumor were treated in our department. Twenty-four of those patients (except those with clear cell sarcoma of the kidney and malignant rhabdoid tumor of the kidney) were collected and assessed. The histological component of each Wilms tumor was divided into three categories (epithelial, blastemal, and mesenchymal) and the extent of HER2 protein expression was analyzed immunohistochemically. The normal kidney tissue accompanied with 12 cases of Wilms tumor was also examined. In the normal kidney, HER2 showed a strong immunoreactivity in the cell membranes of the collecting tubules and in the endothelial cells. Of 24 cases, 15 cases showed an epithelial component, while 24 cases had a blastemal component and 21 cases had a mesenchymal component, respectively. Among the 15 specimens with epithelial cell differentiation, eight (53.3%) showed HER2 immunoreactive epithelial cells. HER2 immunoreactive blastemal cells were present in 11 (45.8%) of 24 specimens with blastemal cells. On the other hand, only 3 (14.3%) of 21 specimens containing mesenchymal cells showed HER2 immunoreactivity. These results suggest that the extent of HER2 expression is associated with epithelial differentiation in Wilms tumor. These histological findings may therefore help to explain the development of Wilms tumor from the standpoint of histological differentiation.

HER2 testing in paired biopsy and excision specimens of gastric cancer: the reliability of the scoring system and the clinicopathological factors relevant to discordance

“…There is a strong linkage between the HER2 expression and epithelial differentiation in Wilms tumors [30], uterine carcinosarcoma [31,32], and biphasic synovial sarcoma [33,34]. The above findings also support the association of membranous expression of HER2 protein with glandular formation.…”

Prognostic significance of HER2 expression in neuroblastic tumors

“…13,25 Osteosarcoma was described in a wide range from a few to 60% of immunopositive cases without the influence of protein overexpression on target therapeutic effectiveness. 21 The study of Salem et al 16 on Wilms tumors showed HER2 immunonegativity in high-risk cases with blastemal predominance. The uneven distribution of HER2 in histologic components of nephroblastoma suggested its contribution to the differentiation and generation of epithelial component.…”

“…The uneven distribution of HER2 in histologic components of nephroblastoma suggested its contribution to the differentiation and generation of epithelial component. 16 In medulloblastomas, HER2 membrano-cytoplasmic expression is frequent and in coexpression with HER4 serves as an adverse prognostic factor. 13 Rhabdomyosarcomas in 22% of cases showed HER2 membranous labeling with an frequent cytoplasmic pattern, without gene Figure 3 Survival probability between different levels of HER2 expression (log-rank test, P ¼ 0.005).…”

“…7,11,14,15 On the other hand, in many tumors, HER2 expression does not influence the patients' survival or even less frequently is a favorable prognostic factor. 13,16,17 The results for HER2 expression and its biological function in neuroblastic tumors are sparse and controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the status of HER2 in our series of neuroblastoma and to assess its prognostic significance and clinicopathological correlations.…”

HER2/neu Expression in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients is not Significantly Elevated

“…Increased levels of receptor ligands, co expression of EGFR mutants, and cross-talk with HER2 or other receptors are mechanisms that can enhance EGFR signaling output and potentially alter the response to EGFR inhibitors (Arteaga, 2002). The dysregulation of these receptors is linked to multiple features of malignant tumors, including a loss of cell cycle control, resistance to apoptotic stimuli, invasiveness, chemo-resistance, and the induction of angiogenesis (Salem et al, 2006;Woodburn JR, 1999).…”