title: Conditional loss of Nkx3.1 in adult mice induces prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia.
abstract: The homeodomain-containing transcription factor NKX3.1 is a putative prostate tumor suppressor that is expressed in a largely prostate-specific and androgen-regulated manner. Loss of NKX3.1 protein expression is common in human prostate carcinomas and prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) lesions and correlates with tumor progression. Disruption of the murine Nkx3.1 gene results in defects in prostate branching morphogenesis, secretions, and growth. To more closely mimic the pattern of NKX3.1 loss that occurs in human prostate tumors, we have used Cre- and loxP-mediated recombination to delete the Nkx3.1 gene in the prostates of adult transgenic mice. Conditional deletion of one or both alleles of Nkx3.1 leads to the development of preinvasive lesions that resemble PIN. The pattern of expression of several biomarkers (Ki-67, E-cadherin, and high-molecular-weight cytokeratins) in these PIN lesions resembled that observed in human cases of PIN. Furthermore, PIN foci in mice with conditional deletion of a single Nkx3.1 allele lose expression of the wild-type allele. Our results support the role of NKX3.1 as a prostate tumor suppressor and indicate a role for this gene in tumor initiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, USA. sabdulka@path.uab.edu
authors.forename: Sarki A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Abdulkadir
authors.forename: Jeffrey A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Magee
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Zahid
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kaleem
authors.forename: Cathy K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Naughton
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Humphrey
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Milbrandt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017353:Gene Deletion; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006720:Homozygote; D006965:Hyperplasia; D019426:Integrases / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011467:Prostate / Q000473:pathology; D019048:Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C491178:NKX3-1 protein, human; C102837:Nkx3-1 protein, mouse; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014764:Viral Proteins; C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases