title: Expression of LKB1 and PTEN tumor suppressor genes during mouse embryonic development.
abstract: Germ-line mutations of LKB1 and PTEN tumor suppressor genes underlie the phenotypically related Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) and Cowden disease (CD), respectively. To analyze possible developmental roles of PTEN and LKB1, we have studied their mRNA expression during mouse embryonic development (E7-17.5) by in situ hybridization. Ubiquitous expression of both genes during early stages (E7-11) became more restricted in later embryonic development (E15-19) where LKB1 and PTEN showed prominent overlapping expression in e.g. gastrointestinal tract and lung. In contrast, LKB1 was selectively expressed at high levels in testis and PTEN was prominently expressed in skin epithelium and underlying mesenchyme. These results indicate that LKB1 and PTEN display largely overlapping expression patterns during embryonic development. Moreover, a high expression of these genes was observed in the tissues and organs affected in PJS and CD patients and in PTEN+/- mice.
authors.affiliation: Haartman Institute and Biocentrum Helsinki, P.O. Box 21, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Luukko
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ylikorkala
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tiainen
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Mäkelä
mesh_terms: D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases; D000818:Animals; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D051379:Mice; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C491654:Stk11 protein, mouse; D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase