Overexpression of the receptor tyrosine kinase erbB2 (Her2 in humans) is correlated with a
poor prognosis in breast and ovarian cancers. Treatment with trastuzumab (a monoclonal
antibody against erbB2) improves survival; however, it also causes cardiomyopathy. We
hypothesized that blockade of the erbB2 receptor induces cardiomyocyte death through a
mitochondrial pathway that is dependent on the production of reactive oxygen species
(ROS). We first showed that levels of erbB2 receptor are significantly decreased in an animal …