title: Rapid induction of skin tumors in human but not mouse c-Ha-ras proto-oncogene transgenic mice by chemical carcinogenesis.
abstract: The rasH2 transgenic mice carry human c-Ha-ras proto-oncogene, and are highly susceptible to chemical carcinogenesis. Previous studies showed that the mutation of c-Ha-ras induced by DMBA in the tumors of rasH2 were detected only in transgenes. To examine if the difference between the codons of the c-Ha-ras gene in human and mouse contributed to the tissue-specific sensitivity to DMBA, we generated a line of transgenic mice, mras, carrying mouse c-Ha-ras genome with its own promoter. Western blot analysis showed that the protein expression of H-RAS in the skin was increased in both rasH2 and mras compared with wild-type. Chemical skin carcinogenesis was induced by DMBA and TPA. In rasH2 mice, the latency of tumor formation was shorter than wild-type littermates. Both the number and the volume of skin tumors were increased in rasH2 than those of wild-type. However, in mras mice, enhancement of tumor formation was not observed as compared with wild-type. The mean number of tumors and the latency of tumor development was almost the same between mras and wild-type littermates. Mutational analysis showed only A to T transversion in human c-Ha-ras transgenes at codon 61 but not in murine endogenous c-Ha-ras gene in the tumors of rasH2. In the tumors of wild-type littermates and mras, A to T transversion in murine c-Ha-ras at codon 61 were detected. These results indicate that the differences in the codon of the c-Ha-ras gene between mouse and human might contribute to the tissue-specific sensitivity of DMBA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Teikyo University, 2-11-1, Kaga, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muto
authors.forename: Motoya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Katsuki
authors.forename: Shigeo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horie
mesh_terms: D015127:9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D011905:Genes, ras / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018307:Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D015689:Oncogene Protein p21(ras) / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017354:Point Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011725:Pyridines / Q000633:toxicity; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011725:Pyridines; C431843:tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine; D015127:9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene; D015689:Oncogene Protein p21(ras)