Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a receptor for EGF and for various members of the EGF family such as TGF-alpha, amphiregulin, betacellulin, heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor, GP30 and vaccinia virus growth factor. EGFR is involved in the control of cell growth and differentation. Binding of EGF to the receptor leads to dimerization, internalization of the EGF-receptor complex, induction of the tyrosine kinase activity, stimulation of cell DNA synthesis and cell proliferation. EGFRvIII has an 801-bp in-frame deletion resulting in a shorter extracellular domain (aa 6-273 are deleted) with generation of a glycine residue at the fusion point. EGFRvIII is tumor specific and is not expressed in normal human tissues. Defects in EGFR are associated with lung cancer. (Shipping Cost: €200.00)

Desmoglein-3 [EP306]

Desmoglein-3 (DSG3) is a calcium binding membrane protein that is localized desmosome cellular junctions and interacts with plaque proteins and intermediate filaments at cell-cell adhesion points. Desmosomes are cell-cell junctions between epithelial, myocardial and other cells types. In human keratinocytes, Desmoglein-3 (DSG3) is raft associated and disruption of rafts prevents desmosome assembly. DSG3 is one of four sister proteins in the desmoglein family. DSG3 is also the autoantigen for pemphigus vulgaris (PV) a lethal skin disease that is a result of autoantibodies against DSG3. DSG3 is over-expressed in lung squamous cell carcinomas (SQCC) but had very limited expression in both adenocarcinomas and non-neoplastic lungs. Using immunohistochemistry, the sensitivity and specificity of DSG3 for lung cancers were 98% and 99%, respectively, which is similar to that of p40. Therefore, DSG3 can be a useful ancillary marker to separate SQCC from other subtypes of lung cancer.

Desmoglein-3 [EP306]