Type 1 protein tyrosine kinases in breast carcinoma: a review.

One of the most studied onco-gene families in breast tumors is the type 1 protein tyrosine kinase family, which consists of EGFR, c-erbB-2, c-erbB-3, and c-erbB-4. Overexpression of c-erbB-2 protein/mRNA in breast carcinomas is consistently associated with poor prognosis, while EGFR overexpression has been confirmed to have a synergistic clinical effect on the c-erbB-2 influence. The expression pattern of c-erbB-4 in breast carcinomas is special. Unlike other type 1 protein tyrosine kinases, expression of c-erbB-4 protein/mRNA is reduced in carcinomas compared with that in normal breast epithelia, and its expression has also been associated with a better clinical outcome, indicating the need for c-erbB-4 analysis when clinical therapeutic application of EGFR and c-erbB-2 anitbodies is considered. In addition, studies of the adaptor proteins in breast carcinomas are highly indicated in order to clarify the mechanisms behind the dysregulated expression of such receptors in breast carcinomas.