title: Mutated K-ras(Asp12) promotes tumourigenesis in Apc(Min) mice more in the large than the small intestines, with synergistic effects between K-ras and Wnt pathways.
abstract: Summary K-ras mutations are found in 40-50% of human colorectal adenomas and carcinomas, but their functional contribution remains incompletely understood. Here, we show that a conditional mutant K-ras mouse model (K-ras(Asp12)/Cre), with transient intestinal Cre activation by beta-Naphthoflavone (beta-NF) treatment, displayed transgene recombination and K-ras(Asp12) expression in the murine intestines, but developed few intestinal adenomas over 2 years. However, when crossed with Apc(Min/+) mice, the K-ras(Asp12)/Cre/Apc(Min/+) offspring showed acceleration of intestinal tumourigenesis with significantly changed average lifespan (P < 0.05) decreased to 18.4 +/- 5.4 weeks from 20.9 +/- 4.7 weeks (control Apc(Min/+) mice). The numbers of adenomas in the small intestine and large intestine were significantly (P < 0.01) increased by 1.5-fold and 5.7-fold, respectively, in K-ras(Asp12)/Cre/Apc(Min/+) mice compared with Apc(Min/+) mice, with the more marked increase in adenoma prevalence in the large intestine. To explore possible mechanisms for K-ras(Asp12) and Apc(Min) co-operation, the Mitogen-activated protein kinase (Mapk), Akt and Wnt signalling pathways, including selected target gene expression levels, were evaluated in normal large intestine and large intestinal tumours. K-ras(Asp12) increased activation of Mapk and Akt signalling pathway targets phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pErk) and pAkt, and increased relative expression levels of Wnt pathway targets vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), gastrin, cyclo-oxygenase 2 (Cox2) and T-cell lymphoma invasion and metastasis 1 (Tiam1) in K-ras(Asp12)/Cre/Apc(Min/+) adenomas compared with that of Apc(Min/+) adenomas, although other Wnt signalling pathway target genes such as Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (PPARd), matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP7), protein phosphatase 1 alpha (PP1A) and c-myc remained unchanged. In conclusion, intestinal expression of K-ras(Asp12) promotes mutant Apc-initiated intestinal adenoma formation in vivo more in the large intestine than the small intestine, with evidence of synergistic co-operation between mutant K-ras and Apc involving increased expression of some Wnt-pathway target genes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Feijun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: Hongtao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Rifat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hamoudi
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Poulogiannis
authors.forename: Charles E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Patek
authors.forename: Douglas J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Winton
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Arends
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D025601:Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D011905:Genes, ras / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007420:Intestine, Large / Q000378:metabolism*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D015689:Oncogene Protein p21(ras) / Q000378:metabolism; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D025601:Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D051153:Wnt Proteins; C495971:Hras protein, mouse; D015689:Oncogene Protein p21(ras); D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)