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HER2/neu




V-erb-b2 erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 2, neuro/glioblastoma derived oncogene homolog (avian)
PDB rendering based on 1n8z.
Available structures: 1n8z, 1s78, 2a91
Identifiers
Symbol(s) ERBB2; HER-2; HER-2/neu; HER2; NEU; NGL; TKR1; c-erb B2
External IDs OMIM: 164870 MGI: 95410 Homologene: 3273
RNA expression pattern

More reference expression data

Orthologs
Human Mouse
Entrez 2064 13866
Ensembl ENSG00000141736 ENSMUSG00000062312
Uniprot P04626 Q80Y89
Refseq NM_001005862 (mRNA)
NP_001005862 (protein)
NM_001003817 (mRNA)
NP_001003817 (protein)
Location Chr 17: 35.1 - 35.14 Mb Chr 11: 98.23 - 98.25 Mb
Pubmed search [1] [2]

HER2/neu (also known as ErbB-2, ERBB2) is a member of the ErbB protein family, more commonly known as the epidermal growth factor receptor family. HER2/neu is notable for its role in the pathogenesis of breast cancer and as a target of treatment. It is a cell membrane surface-bound receptor tyrosine kinase and is normally involved in the signal transduction pathways leading to cell growth and differentiation. HER2 is thought to be an orphan receptor, with none of the EGF family of ligands able to activate it. However, ErbB receptors dimerise on ligand binding, and HER2 is the preferential dimerisation partner of other members of the ErbB family.[1] The HER2 gene is a proto-oncogene located at the long arm of human chromosome 17(17q11.2-q12).

Approximately 25-30 percent of breast cancers have an amplification of the HER2/neu gene or overexpression of its protein product.[2] Overexpression of this receptor in breast cancer is associated with increased disease recurrence and worse prognosis. Because of its prognostic role as well as its ability to predict response to trastuzumab (see below), breast tumors are routinely checked for overexpression of HER2/neu. Overexpression also occurs in other cancer such as ovarian cancer and stomach cancer.

The oncogene neu is so-named because it was derived from a neuroglioblastoma cell line in rat. HER2 is named because it has similar structure to human epidermal growth factor receptor, or HER1. ErbB2 was named for its similarity to ErbB (avian erythroblastosis oncogene B), the oncogene later found to code for EGFR. Gene cloning showed that neu, HER2, and ErbB2 were the same.

Clinically, HER2/neu is important as the target of the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (marketed as Herceptin). Trastuzumab is only effective in breast cancer where the HER2/neu receptor is overexpressed.

HER2 is co-localized, and thus most of the time co-amplified with the gene GRB7, which is as well a proto-oncogene (active in e.g. breast cancer, testicular germ cell tumor, gastric cancer, and esophageal cancer).

The HER2 gene overexpression can be suppressed by the amplification of other genes and the use of the drug Herceptin. Research is currently being conducted to discover which disregulated genes may have this desired effect. Another monoclonal antibody, pertuzumab [3], which inhibits dimerization of HER2 and HER3 receptors, is in advanced clinical trials.

References

  1. ^ Olayioye MA (2001). "Update on HER-2 as a target for cancer therapy: intracellular signaling pathways of ErbB2/HER-2 and family members". Breast Cancer Res 3 (6): 385-389. doi:10.1186/bcr327. PMID 11737890.
  2. ^ Entrez Gene: ERBB2 v-erb-b2 erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 2, neuro/glioblastoma derived oncogene homolog (avian).

Further reading

  • Ross JS, Fletcher JA, Linette GP, et al. (2003). "The Her-2/neu gene and protein in breast cancer 2003: biomarker and target of therapy.". Oncologist 8 (4): 307-25. PMID 12897328.
  • Zhou BP, Hung MC (2003). "Dysregulation of cellular signaling by HER2/neu in breast cancer.". Semin. Oncol. 30 (5 Suppl 16): 38-48. PMID 14613025.
  • Ménard S, Casalini P, Campiglio M, et al. (2005). "Role of HER2/neu in tumor progression and therapy.". Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 61 (23): 2965-78. doi:10.1007/s00018-004-4277-7. PMID 15583858.
  • Becker JC, Muller-Tidow C, Serve H, et al. (2006). "Role of receptor tyrosine kinases in gastric cancer: new targets for a selective therapy.". World J. Gastroenterol. 12 (21): 3297-305. PMID 16733844.
  • Laudadio J, Quigley DI, Tubbs R, Wolff DJ (2007). "HER2 testing: a review of detection methodologies and their clinical performance.". Expert Rev. Mol. Diagn. 7 (1): 53-64. doi:10.1586/14737159.7.1.53. PMID 17187484.
  • Bianchi F, Tagliabue E, Ménard S, Campiglio M (2007). "Fhit expression protects against HER2-driven breast tumor development: unraveling the molecular interconnections.". Cell Cycle 6 (6): 643-6. PMID 17374991.


 
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "HER2/neu". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia.
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