title: Mutation analysis of p53, K-ras, and BRAF genes in colorectal cancer progression.
abstract: Gene mutations in APC, K-ras, and p53 are thought to be essential events for colorectal cancer development. Recent data seem to indicate that K-ras and p53 mutations rarely co-exist in the same tumor, indicating that these alterations do not represent a synergistic evolutionary pathway. Moreover, an inverse relation between K-ras gene activation and BRAF mutations has been demonstrated, suggesting alternative pathways for colorectal cancer transformation. To reconstruct the chronological modulation of these gene mutations during cell transformation and colorectal cancer progression, mutations of p53, K-ras, and BRAF genes were analyzed by Single Strand Conformation Polymorphism (SSCP) or sequencing analysis in 100 colorectal cancer samples, evenly distributed among different Dukes' stages. We found mutations in p53, K-ras, and BRAF genes in 35%, 30%, and 4% of tumors, respectively, and observed a minimal or no co-presence of these gene alterations. Moreover, the frequency of molecular p53 mutations increased as tumor stage increased, suggesting an important role for this gene in the progression of colorectal cancer. Conversely, K-ras or BRAF genes were not related to tumor stage or location. These data seem to indicate the absence of a co-presence of the genes, highlighting the possibility of multiple pathways for colorectal tumor progression. Moreover, mutations in p53, K-ras, and BRAF are not present in about one-third of colorectal cancers and therefore other gene mutations need to be investigated to better understand molecular mechanisms at the basis of cell transformation and the progression of colorectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncology and Diagnostics, Morgagni-Pierantoni Hospital, Forlì, Italy. biomolec@ausl.fo.it
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Calistri
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rengucci
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Seymour
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lattuneddu
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Polifemo
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Monti
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Saragoni
authors.forename: Dino
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Amadori
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001483:Base Sequence; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D016158:Genes, p53; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C482119:BRAF protein, human; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf