title: Conditional Pten knock-out mice: a model for metastatic phaeochromocytoma.
abstract: Phaeochromocytomas (PCCs) are neuro-endocrine tumours of the adrenal medulla that are usually benign, but approximately 10% of patients develop metastases. Malignant PCCs can only be diagnosed with certainty if metastases are present. Here we describe adrenal tumours generated in a Pten conditional knock-out (KO) mouse model. We characterized the molecular alterations in these tumours and compared them with human PCC. Thirty-two of 41 (78%) male Psa-Cre;Pten-loxP/loxP mice presented adrenal tumours that were shown to be PCC by histology and by immunohistochemical staining for enzymes in the catecholamine biosynthetic pathway. In 6 of 17 investigated mice, histological and immunohistochemical evidence was obtained for the presence of PCC lung metastases. Array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) analysis of the primary tumours showed loss of chromosomes 6 and 19, which are syntenic to human 3p and 11q. Another frequent alteration found was gain of chromosome 15, which is syntenic to human chromosome 5. The molecular aberrations in the mouse model corresponded to the alterations found in a subtype of human PCC, suggesting that the PCC of the Pten KO mice might be representative of human PCC. The mouse model should allow further studies into the pathogenesis of human malignant PCCs and into therapeutic strategies for these tumours.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Josephine Nefkens Institute, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Korpershoek
authors.forename: Anne J M
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Loonen
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Corvers
authors.forename: Francien H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: van Nederveen
authors.forename: Jos
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jonkers
authors.forename: Xiaoqian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Angelique
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ziel-van der Made
authors.forename: Hanneke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Korsten
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Trapman
authors.forename: Winand N M
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Dinjens
authors.forename: Ronald R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: de Krijger
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D055028:Comparative Genomic Hybridization; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary*; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; C494929:PTEN protein, human