LACK OF MUTATIONS IN ERBB-1 ONCOGENE SEQUENCE CODING SIGNAL PEPTIDE -HUMAN COLON NEOPLASM STUDIES

The erbB-1 gene coding the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) sho ws an aberrant expression in a variety of human rumours. The aim of ou r studies was to find out if any changes in the erbB-1 oncogene sequen ce coding signal peptide have occurred in the case of human colon neop lasms. This sequence is necessary for transfer of the newly synthesize d polypeptide into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum, and in cons equence appearance on the cell surface. Using polymerase chain reactio n-single strand conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) we observed no mutation in the 275 bp region of exon 1 and intron 1 of erbB-1 gene in human colon neoplasms. These findings suggest that the variations of EGFR content in human colon neoplasms have no connection with the gene tic alternations in its signal peptide. (C) 1998 Lippincott-Raven Publ ishers.