[Immunohistochemical studies on epidermal growth factor receptor in experimental squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix of mice].

The tissue localization of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) in experimental squamous cell carcinoma of the mouse uterine cervix was examined immunohistochemically. Carcinoma was induced by the insertion of a 20-methylcholanthrene (MC)-impregnated thread into the cervical canal of the mouse. Tissue sections (of normal columnar epithelium, proliferation, atypical proliferation, early invasive carcinoma, invasive carcinoma and metastatic carcinoma) were stained by the avidin/biotin immunoperoxidase technique using anti-EGF-R monoclonal antibody. Normal columnar epithelium was negative for EGF-R, whereas proliferation was partly positive. The lesions of atypical proliferation and early invasive carcinoma had a positive staining for EGF-R. The staining for EGF-R declined in the lesion of invasive carcinoma. Metastatic carcinoma was not stained for EGF-R. These results suggest that EGF-R may play an important role in the early stage of carcinogenesis of the mouse uterine cervix induced by 20-MC.