title: Alterations in membrane-bound and cytoplasmic K-ras protein levels in mouse lung induced by treatment with lovastatin, cholestyramine, or niacin: effects are highly mouse strain dependent.
abstract: Agents that either increase (cholestyramine, CS) or decrease (lovastatin, Lov) de novo peripheral cholesterol synthesis may increase (CS) or decrease (Lov) ras protein membrane localization by altering protein prenylation, and potentially have pro- or anti-carcinogenic effects. Male A/J, Swiss, and C57/BL6 mice were treated with 2 or 4% CS, 1% dietary niacin, or 25mg/kg of Lov three times per week (Lov-3X) or five times per week (Lov-5X). After 3 weeks, serum cholesterol and triglycerides were determined enzymatically. Membrane and cytoplasmic K-ras proteins in lung were determined by immunoprecipitation followed by western blotting with a K-ras specific antibody. Results confirmed the hypothesis only in isolated instances. A/J mice had a significant 30% increase in cytoplasmic K-ras and a 40% decrease in membrane K-ras from Lov treatment, as predicted. C57/BL6 mice had a significant 77% increase in membrane K-ras, as expected from CS feeding. At variance with the hypothesis, Swiss mice had increased levels (3-28%) of membrane K-ras with all treatments (including Lov), and C57/BL6 mice treated with Lov had a 58-78% increase in cytoplasmic K-ras without any reduction in the levels of membrane K-ras. Niacin, predicted to have no effect on ras membrane localization, decreased cytoplasmic K-ras in A/J mice, increased both membrane and cytoplasmic K-ras in Swiss mice, and had no effect in C57/BL6 mice. Results may have differed from those predicted because of strain-dependent differences in response to the cholesterol-lowering agents. A difference in response among the mouse strains suggests that individual genetic differences may alter the effect of hypocholesterolemic agents on K-ras membrane localization, and potentially the risk of ras-dependent cancer.
authors.affiliation: Division of Research and Applied Technology, Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling and Dietary Supplements, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Washington, DC, USA. calvert@mail.ncifcrf.gov
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Calvert
authors.forename: Gayatri
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramakrishna
authors.forename: Shirley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tepper
authors.forename: Bhalchandra A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Diwan
authors.forename: Lucy M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kritchevsky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002792:Cholestyramine Resin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011905:Genes, ras / Q000502:physiology*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009525:Niacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D014280:Triglycerides; D002792:Cholestyramine Resin; D009525:Niacin; D002784:Cholesterol; D008148:Lovastatin