title: Pathways sufficient to induce epidermal carcinogenesis.
abstract: Abnormal epidermal proliferation is characteristic of a number of disorders, including the two most common cancers in the United States, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Both cancers display a disruption in the normal homeostatic balance between cell division and programmed cell death. While abnormal activation of the sonic hedgehog/patched pathway has been established as sufficient to induce hallmark features of BCC in both human and murine epidermis, pathways sufficient to convert normal epidermis into SCC have been less well defined. Building on findings that indicate a potent role for Ras and NF-kappaB in normal epidermal growth regulation, recent work indicates that activation of Ras signaling in concert with inhibition of NF-kappaB function is entirely sufficient to transform normal human epidermis into tumor tissue with all the cardinal features of SCC.
authors.affiliation: VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, California, USA.
authors.forename: Todd W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Ridky
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Khavari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D051358:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D018295:Neoplasms, Basal Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D018307:Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D018631:ras Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016328:NF-kappa B; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; C495900:CDK4 protein, human; D051358:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases; D018631:ras Proteins