Palmieri, D., et al., - The hypothesis that Her-2 overexpression increases the colonization of breast cancer cells in the brain in vivo was tested using Her-2–overexpressing 231-BR clones. Her-2 transfectants yielded 3-fold greater large metastases (>50 µm2; P < 0.001) Methodology
Her-2 expression trends were observed from resected human brain metastases
An experimental brain metastasis assay was employed
Results
Her-2 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mRNA levels in a cohort of 12 frozen brain metastases were increased up to 5- and 9-fold, respectively, over those of Her-2–amplified primary tumors
In vivo, in a model of brain metastasis, low or high Her-2–overexpressing 231-BR clones (selectively metastasize to brain) produced comparable numbers of micrometastases in the brain as control transfectants
However, the Her-2 transfectants yielded 3-fold greater large metastases (>50 µm2; P < 0.001)
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