Alpha-inhibin is a tumour-suppressor gene with gonadal specificity in mice.
The inhibins are alpha:beta heterodimeric growth factors that are members of the transforming growth factor-beta family. To understand the physiological roles of the inhibins in mammalian development and reproduction, a targeted deletion of the alpha-inhibin gene was generated by homologous recombination in mouse embryonic stem cells. Mice homozygous for the null allele (inhibin-deficient) initially develop normally but every mouse ultimately develops mixed or incompletely differentiated gonadal stromal tumours either unilaterally or bilaterally. Inhibin is thus a critical negative regulator of gonadal stromal cell proliferation and the first secreted protein identified to have tumour-suppressor activity.
Matzuk
M M
MM
Institute for Molecular Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030.
Finegold
M J
MJ
Su
J G
JG
Hsueh
A J
AJ
Bradley
A
A
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006066:Gonads / Q000196:embryology / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D006579:Heterozygote; D006720:Homozygote; D007265:Inhibins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D016296:Mutagenesis; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology
D007265:Inhibins