title: Activated beta-catenin in the novel human parathyroid tumor cell line sHPT-1.
abstract: Misregulation of the Wnt/beta-catenin signalling pathway is involved in the development and progression of many cancers. Recently, we presented evidence for aberrant accumulation of non-phosphorylated (stabilized) beta-catenin in benign parathyroid tumors from patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) or HPT secondary to uremia (sHPT). Here we have used a human parathyroid hormone (PTH)-producing cell line (sHPT-1), established from a hyperplastic parathyroid gland removed at operation of a patient with sHPT, to further investigate the potential importance of beta-catenin in parathyroid tumorigenesis. Our studies demonstrate that efficient and specific knockdown of beta-catenin by small interfering RNA (siRNA) markedly decreased endogenous beta-catenin transcriptional activity as well as expression of the Wnt/beta-catenin target genes cyclin D1 and c-myc, known to be overexpressed in a substantial fraction of parathyroid tumors. Furthermore, siRNA to beta-catenin inhibited cellular growth and induced cell death. Growth and survival of the parathyroid tumor cells are thus dependent on maintained expression level of beta-catenin. The Wnt/beta-catenin signalling pathway, and beta-catenin in particular, presents a potential therapeutic target for HPT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, Endocrine Unit, Uppsala University, Uppsala University Hospital, Entrance 70, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Björklund
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Akerström
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Westin
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D010282:Parathyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin