Constitutive beta-catenin activation induces adrenal hyperplasia and promotes adrenal cancer development.
Adrenocortical carcinoma is a rare but aggressive cancer with unknown aetiology. Constitutive activation of beta-catenin is the most frequent alteration in benign and malignant adrenocortical tumours in patients. Here, we show that constitutive activation of beta-catenin in the adrenal cortex of transgenic mice resulted in progressive steroidogenic and undifferentiated spindle-shaped cells hyperplasia as well as dysplasia of the cortex and medulla. Over a 17 months time course, transgenic adrenals developed malignant characteristics such as uncontrolled neovascularization and loco-regional metastatic invasion. These oncogenic events were accompanied by ectopic differentiation of glomerulosa at the expense of fasciculata cells, which caused primary hyperaldosteronism. Altogether these observations demonstrate that constitutively active beta-catenin is an adrenal oncogene which triggers benign aldosterone-secreting tumour development and promotes malignancy.
Berthon
Annabel
A
Clermont Université, Université Blaise Pascal, GReD, BP 10448, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Sahut-Barnola
Isabelle
I
Lambert-Langlais
Sarah
S
de Joussineau
Cyrille
C
Damon-Soubeyrand
Christelle
C
Louiset
Estelle
E
Taketo
Mark M
MM
Tissier
Frédérique
F
Bertherat
Jérôme
J
Lefrançois-Martinez
Anne-Marie
AM
Martinez
Antoine
A
Val
Pierre
P
D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
D051176:beta Catenin; D000450:Aldosterone