Development of the pancreas and pancreatic cancer.
The pancreas is specified during embryonic development from the gut endoderm. Among the signaling pathways required for the proper development of the organ are the notch and hedgehog signaling pathways. Both of these pathways are reactivated in pancreatic cancers, and sustained hedgehog signaling is required for the viability of most pancreatic cancer cell lines. Further, mouse models of the disease show activation of these pathways, and expression of pancreas progenitor markers. These findings indicate that developmentally regulated gene expression programs are important in the pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer.
Lewis
Brian C
BC
Program in Gene Function and Expression, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 364 Plantation Street, LRB 521, Worcester, MA 01605 USA. brian.lewis@umassmed.edu
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D010179:Pancreas / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051880:Receptors, Notch / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D051880:Receptors, Notch; D015534:Trans-Activators