P53 gene mutation increases progastrin dependent colonic proliferation and colon cancer formation in mice

Cancer Invest. 2012 May;30(4):275-86. doi: 10.3109/07357907.2012.657814. Epub 2012 Apr 5.

Abstract

Transgenic mice overexpressing human progastrin (hGAS) show colonic crypt hyper-proliferation and elevated susceptibility to colon carcinogenesis. We aimed to investigate effects of p53 mutation on colon carcinogenesis in hGAS mice. We show that introducing a p53 gene mutation further increases progastrin dependent BrdU labeling and results in markedly elevated number of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and colonic tumors. We demonstrate that hGAS/Lgr5-GFP mice have higher number of Lgr5+ colonic stem cells per crypt when compared to Lgr5-GFP mice indicating that progastrin changes crypt biology through increased stem cell numbers and additional p53 mutation leads to more aggressive phenotype in this murine colon cancer model.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Aberrant Crypt Foci / chemically induced
  • Aberrant Crypt Foci / genetics
  • Aberrant Crypt Foci / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Azoxymethane / toxicity
  • Carcinogens / toxicity
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / genetics*
  • Colonic Neoplasms / chemically induced
  • Colonic Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Colonic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Gastrins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Mutation
  • Protein Precursors / metabolism*
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / genetics*

Substances

  • Carcinogens
  • Gastrins
  • Protein Precursors
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • big gastrin
  • Azoxymethane