Organ-specific, carcinogen-induced increases in cell proliferation in p53-deficient mice.
Transgenic mice with germ-line p53 alleles disrupted by gene targeting are sensitive to the development of some spontaneous tumors and have provided researchers with much information with respect to cancer. In the present study, to cast light on the organ specificity of chemically induced carcinogenesis, we evaluated carcinogen-induced cell proliferation in target organs in heterozygote p53 knockout mice (p53-deficient mice). Groups of 9- or 10-week-old wild-type(+/+) and p53-deficient mice were respectively treated with one of the following carcinogens for 4 weeks: N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (0.0075% in drinking water); dimethylnitrosamine (0.001% in drinking water); dihydroxy-di-N-propylnitrosamine (0.1% in drinking water); 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (10 mg/kg body weight s.c. injection once a week); 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO, 10 mg/kg b.w. s.c. injection once a week); or 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (25 microg/kg body weight dermal application once a week). Cell proliferation was evaluated by measuring the 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine labeling indices in each target organ. The p53 and p21 statuses were evaluated by comparing the expressions of p53 protein, p21waf1/cip1 mRNA, and p21waf1/cip1 protein between the mice. 5-Bromo-2'-deoxyuridine labeling indices of the urinary bladder and the skin were significantly increased in p53-deficient mice as compared with the wild-type(+/+) mice. In the all organs examined, carcinogen-induced p21waf1/cip1 mRNA overexpression was detected with levels obviously lower in the p53-deficient animals. These data suggest that p53-deficient mice have an organ-specific increased sensitivity to the induction of cell proliferation in the urinary bladder and the skin. These are the same organs for which sensitivity to carcinogenesis has been reported. Because a decrease of p21waf1/cip1 protein overexpression was also observed in the organs in which cell proliferation did not appreciably differ from the level in wild-type(+/+) mice, this decrease might have no effect on sensitivity to cell proliferation and carcinogenesis. Alternatively, it might play an important role in the cell cycle regulation of only the sensitive organs.
Sukata
T
T
Environmental Health Science Laboratory, Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd., First Department of Pathology, Osaka City University Medical School, Osaka, Japan. sukata@sc.sumitomo-chem.co.jp
Ozaki
K
K
Uwagawa
S
S
Seki
T
T
Wanibuchi
H
H
Yamamoto
S
S
Okuno
Y
Y
Fukushima
S
S
D000818:Animals; D002273:Carcinogens; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins / Q000378:metabolism*; D016158:Genes, p53 / Q000235:genetics*; D006579:Heterozygote; D006965:Hyperplasia; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009928:Organ Specificity; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
D002273:Carcinogens; C493957:Cdkn1a protein, mouse; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53