The erbB‐3 Gene in human pancreatic cancer

Abnormalities of the type 1 growth factor receptor family have been implicated in the pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer. There is evidence for a potential autocrine loop involving overexpression of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor and its ligands, as well as overexpression of the erbB‐2 receptor. A third member of this receptor family, erbB‐3, has recently been recognized and found to be abnormally expressed in some types of human cancer. In this study we show that overexpression of the erbB‐3 protein occurs very frequently in carcinoma of the exocrine pancreas and also in chronic pancreatitis. We found no evidence of amplification or rearrangement of the erbB‐3 gene by Southern blot analysis of DNA from pancreatic cancer cells lines.