title: Suppression of beta-catenin inhibits the neoplastic growth of APC-mutant colon cancer cells.
abstract: Mutations involving the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) tumor suppressorgene/beta-catenin signaling pathway have been identified in the majority of colon carcinomas. However, the role of aberrant beta-catenin signaling in the neoplastic growth of APC-mutant colon cancer cells has not been directly studied. To address this question, antisense oligonucleotides have been used to specifically down-regulate beta-catenin expression in APC-mutant human colon carcinoma cells. Antisense-mediated suppression of beta-catenin inhibits the in vitro proliferation, anchorage-independent growth, and cellular invasiveness of APC-mutant human colon carcinoma cells. The systemic administration of beta-catenin antisense oligonucleotides down-regulates beta-catenin expression in vivo in human colon cancer xenografts in nude mice. Such treatment inhibits the tumorigenic growth of colon cancer xenografts and can completely eradicate tumors in some treated animals. These studies formally demonstrate the critical role of beta-catenin signaling in the neoplastic growth of APC-mutant colon cancer cells and suggest that strategies targeting beta-catenin may be of use in the therapy of colon cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and the A. J. Siteman Cancer Center, The Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Boswell
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pippin
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Drebin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D017491:Genes, APC / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009154:Mutation; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D013873:Thionucleotides / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D051176:beta Catenin
chemical_list: C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; C495267:CTNNB1 protein, mouse; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013873:Thionucleotides; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051176:beta Catenin