C-jun oncogene expression in nonsmall cell lung-cancer.

Primary lung cancer specimens of the non-small cell (NSC) types were examined for expression of the c-jun gene at the protein level by immunocytochemistry using the polyclonal antibody c-jun 890. The results obtained revealed that the c-jun p39 protein was expressed in 82% (18/22) of squamous cell carcinomas, 77% (10/15) of adenocarcinomas and 40% (2/5) of large cell anaplastic carcinomas, but no staining was seen in the non-cancer cases. Positive immunostaining was also seen in 16.7% (3/18) of the nonneoplastic bronchial cells of positively stained squamous cell carcinomas and in 40% (4/10) of adenocarcinomas. We suggest that elevated expression df c-jun p39 protein which was seen in a total of 75% (30/40) of the NSCLC, plays a role in lung cancer.