title: Cre-loxP chromosome engineering of a targeted deletion in the mouse corresponding to the 3p21.3 region of homozygous loss in human tumours.
abstract: Chromosomal deletions are a common feature of epithelial tumours and when further defined by homozygous deletions, are often the location of tumour suppressor genes. Deletions within the short arm of chromosome 3 occur very frequently in human carcinomas: a minimal region of loss at 3p21.3 (the Luca) region has been defined by overlapping homozygous deletions in lung and breast cancer cell lines. Using a rapid strategy for Cre-loxP chromosome engineering, a deletion of approximately 370 kb was created in the mouse germline corresponding to the deleted region at 3p21.3. The deletion when homozygous is embryonic lethal. Heterozygotes develop normally despite being haplo-insufficient for twelve genes including the candidate tumour suppressor gene Rassf1. Because damage to 3p21.3 often occurs very early in the sequence of genetic changes that lead to malignancy, particularly in lung and breast cancer, further genetic damage to these mice will provide the opportunity to model multi-step tumorigenesis of these tumours.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Genome Research, University of Edinburgh, Kings Buildings, West Mains Road, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew J H
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xian
authors.forename: Melville
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: Karen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Johnstone
authors.forename: Pamela H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Rabbitts
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001287:Attachment Sites, Microbiological / Q000235:genetics*; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D002893:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 3 / Q000235:genetics*; D018390:Gene Targeting; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D018095:Germ-Line Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D019426:Integrases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D026801:Synteny; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; C098416:MAP-kinase-activated kinase 3; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases