ErbB-2 amplification inhibits down-regulation and induces constitutive activation of both ErbB-2 and epidermal growth factor receptors.

ErbB-2/HER2 is an important signaling partner for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Overexpression of erbB-2 is also associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer. To investigate how erbB-2 amplification affects its interactions with the EGFR, we used a human mammary epithelial cell system in which erbB-2 expression was increased 7-20-fold by gene transfection. We found that amplification of erbB-2 caused constitutive activation of erbB-2 as well as ligand-independent activation of the EGFR. Overexpression of erbB-2 strongly inhibited erbB-2 down-regulation following transactivation by EGFR. Significantly, down-regulation of activated EGFR was also inhibited by erbB-2 amplification, resulting in enhanced ligand-dependent activation of the EGFR. The rate of EGFR endocytosis was not affected by erbB-2 overexpression, but the rate of lysosomal targeting was significantly reduced. In addition, erbB-2 overexpression promoted rapid recycling of activated EGFR back to the cell surface and decreased ligand dissociation from the EGFR. Our data suggest that overexpression of erbB-2 inhibits both its down-regulation and that of the EGFR. The net effect is increased signaling through the EGFR system.