Differentiation-related expression of epidermal growth factor receptors in human lung carcinoma demonstrated histochemically by biotinylated epidermal growth factor.

Biotin-labeled epidermal growth factor (EGF) was applied to routinely processed sections of 64 cases of human lung carcinoma as a histochemical tool for demonstrating EGF-specific receptors. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections were deparaffinized and incubated with the labeled EGF (10 micrograms/ml) for 60 min at room temperature. The specific binding of the growth factor to its receptor was visualized by the avidin-biotin complex (ABC) technique. Positive binding capacities were obtained for the following cases: 15/16 epidermoid carcinoma; 13/15 adenocarcinoma; 2/11 large cell anaplastic carcinoma; 12/20 small cell anaplastic carcinoma; 0/11 normal lung tissue; 0/6 main bronchi; 0/1 hamartoma; 0/1 primary fibrosarcoma of lung. In addition, a strong positive reaction was seen for neutrophilic granulocytes present within the tumorous tissue. Data indicate that EGF receptors are frequently expressed in more differentiated carcinoma in comparison with anaplastic carcinoma of lung.