Astric cancer) to trastuzumab [23,24]. A significant reduction of primary tumor growth and of metastatic MedChemExpress 58-49-1 spread has previously been reported in an orthotopic model of HER2-positive esophageal adenocarcinoma under treatment with trastuzumab [25]. It has been shown that HER2signalling in breast cancer enhances the expression of CXCR4, which is required for HER2-mediated invasion [26]. The chemokine CXCR4 has been suggested to play an essential role in tumor cell homing to lymph nodes and bone marrow in esophageal carcinoma [27]. Expression of CXCR4 correlates significantly with overall and tumor-specific survival in esophageal carcinoma and is associated with poor prognosis [27]. ACXCR4 in HER2-Positive Esophageal Cancercorrelation of CXCR4 and HER2 
and possible functional role in the interaction of their pathways, however, has not been investigated for adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. Solvent Yellow 14 biological activity chemokines are a 
superfamily of small cytokine-like peptides [28,29]. Through interaction with the chemokine receptors, chemokines induce cytoskeletal rearrangement of hematopoietic cells, 15481974 increase their adhesion, and direct migration to homespecific organs. Chemokine receptors are G-protein-coupled receptors and CXCR4 is one of the best characterized receptors. CXCR4 and its ligand SDF-1a play an important role in targeting breast cancer metastases [30,31]. The chemokine SDF-1a is released in high amounts by organs such as lung, bone, and liver. The attraction of SDF-1a and CXCR4 causes breast cancer cells to migrate into these organs, where they proliferate and form metastastes [30,31]. As metastasis is still the leading 1317923 cause of tumor-related death and morbidity it is essential to further understand the complex pathophysiologic pathways and processes leading to metastatic spread. Metastatic pathways of malignant tumor disease are complex and still poorly understood [32?6]. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of single and combined inhibition of HER2 and CXCR4 receptor pathways, and to examine HER2- and CXCR4-expression levels under inhibition in order to determine a possible involvement of CXCR4-expression in HER2-positive esophageal carcinoma. Moreover, the aim was to further investigate the role of CXCR4 and HER2 in primary tumor growth and in the homing of metastases. Besides determining the importance of the presence of HER2 and CXCR4 in a representative patient collective, a highly metastatic model of esophageal carcinoma was used for evaluation.After primary tumor growth was established by magneticresonance-imaging (MRI) on day 14, mice were randomised into four groups of nine mice each (ten mice in the control group). Group one was treated biweekly with an intraperitoneal injection of 20 mg/kg body weight trastuzumab (Roche, Penzberg, Germany) in a volume of 100 ml. Group two received 5 mg/kg body weight AMD3100 (Sigma-Aldrich, Munich, Germany) in 100 ml by intraperitoneal injection. Group three received both daily AMD3100 injections as well as biweekly trastuzumab. Group was for given daily intraperitoneal sham injections with 100 ml PBS and used as a control group.ImmunohistochemistryThe HercepTest (DAKO, Glostrup, Denmark) was used according to the protocol of the manufacturer, using a 1:300 dilution of the primary antibody. CXCR4-Staining was performed using the primary rabbit polyclonal CXCR4 antibody (Abcam, clone 2074, Cambridge, UK) at a dilution of 1:250 overnight at 4uC. The antibody reaction was developed with the Cell.Astric cancer) to trastuzumab [23,24]. A significant reduction of primary tumor growth and of metastatic spread has previously been reported in an orthotopic model of HER2-positive esophageal adenocarcinoma under treatment with trastuzumab [25]. It has been shown that HER2signalling in breast cancer enhances the expression of CXCR4, which is required for HER2-mediated invasion [26]. The chemokine CXCR4 has been suggested to play an essential role in tumor cell homing to lymph nodes and bone marrow in esophageal carcinoma [27]. Expression of CXCR4 correlates significantly with overall and tumor-specific survival in esophageal carcinoma and is associated with poor prognosis [27]. ACXCR4 in HER2-Positive Esophageal Cancercorrelation of CXCR4 and HER2 and possible functional role in the interaction of their pathways, however, has not been investigated for adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. Chemokines are a superfamily of small cytokine-like peptides [28,29]. Through interaction with the chemokine receptors, chemokines induce cytoskeletal rearrangement of hematopoietic cells, 15481974 increase their adhesion, and direct migration to homespecific organs. Chemokine receptors are G-protein-coupled receptors and CXCR4 is one of the best characterized receptors. CXCR4 and its ligand SDF-1a play an important role in targeting breast cancer metastases [30,31]. The chemokine SDF-1a is released in high amounts by organs such as lung, bone, and liver. The attraction of SDF-1a and CXCR4 causes breast cancer cells to migrate into these organs, where they proliferate and form metastastes [30,31]. As metastasis is still the leading 1317923 cause of tumor-related death and morbidity it is essential to further understand the complex pathophysiologic pathways and processes leading to metastatic spread. Metastatic pathways of malignant tumor disease are complex and still poorly understood [32?6]. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of single and combined inhibition of HER2 and CXCR4 receptor pathways, and to examine HER2- and CXCR4-expression levels under inhibition in order to determine a possible involvement of CXCR4-expression in HER2-positive esophageal carcinoma. Moreover, the aim was to further investigate the role of CXCR4 and HER2 in primary tumor growth and in the homing of metastases. Besides determining the importance of the presence of HER2 and CXCR4 in a representative patient collective, a highly metastatic model of esophageal carcinoma was used for evaluation.After primary tumor growth was established by magneticresonance-imaging (MRI) on day 14, mice were randomised into four groups of nine mice each (ten mice in the control group). Group one was treated biweekly with an intraperitoneal injection of 20 mg/kg body weight trastuzumab (Roche, Penzberg, Germany) in a volume of 100 ml. Group two received 5 mg/kg body weight AMD3100 (Sigma-Aldrich, Munich, Germany) in 100 ml by intraperitoneal injection. Group three received both daily AMD3100 injections as well as biweekly trastuzumab. Group was for given daily intraperitoneal sham injections with 100 ml PBS and used as a control group.ImmunohistochemistryThe HercepTest (DAKO, Glostrup, Denmark) was used according to the protocol of the manufacturer, using a 1:300 dilution of the primary antibody. CXCR4-Staining was performed using the primary rabbit polyclonal CXCR4 antibody (Abcam, clone 2074, Cambridge, UK) at a dilution of 1:250 overnight at 4uC. The antibody reaction was developed with the Cell.