pDRIVE-c-erbB2

C-erbB2/neu oncogene (neu+) in pDRIVE expression plasmid

C-erbB2/neu oncogene (neu+) encodes a 185 kDa transmembrane protein with intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity, highly homologous with the epidermal growth factor receptor. The oncogene c-erbB2 is overexpressed in approximately one-third of breast and pancreatic tumors (and in a smaller proportion of other tumors). This overexpression involves transcriptional up-regulation of the c-erbB2 gene. The c-erbB2 promoter was shown to drive specific expression in cells overexpressing the oncogene [1]. Basal activity of the c-erbB2 promoter is equivalent to one third of the herpes simplex thymidine kinase promoter but can be significantly induced by several agents such as epidermal growth factor, dibutyryl cAMP and retinoic acid [2].

References:

1. Harris JD. et al. 1994. Gene therapy for cancer using tumor-specific prodrug activation. Gene Ther. 1(3):170-5.
2. Hudson LG. et al. 1990. Structure and inducible regulation of the human c-erb B2/neu promoter. J Biol Chem. 265(8):4389-93.