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PubMed1992

Screening for germ-line mutations in familial adenomatous polyposis patients: 61 new patients and a summary of 150 unrelated patients.

We report here the result of a screening for germ-line mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene in 61 new familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) patients as well as a summary of the results of 150 patients. Examination of the entire coding region of the APC gene, based on a ribonuclease protection assay coupled with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), disclosed mutations that were considered to cause significant defects in the APC product in 97 of 150 unrelated FAP patients. Our findings revealed the following characteristics of the germ-line mutations of APC: 1) the great majority of the mutations were found to truncate the APC product; 2) almost all of the mutations were located within the first half of the coding region; 3) no correlation was observed between the locations of germ-line mutations and extracolonic manifestations in FAP patients; 4) more than 80% of base substitutions in the APC gene were from cytosine to other nucleotides, nearly one-third of which occurred at the GpG site. Our results provide information helpful to an understanding of the APC gene and will also contribute to presymptomatic diagnosis of members in FAP families.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗
PubMed2004

Definition of candidate low risk APC alleles in a Swedish population.

Many families experience an apparently inherited increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) similar to the known syndromes familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). Besides these high-risk syndromes, approximately 10% of all CRC cases come from families with 2 affected 1st-degree relatives, and even 1st-degree relatives to a single case of CRC are at increased risk. Risk subjects from these families frequently show polyps at colonoscopy, which suggests the APC gene as a good candidate susceptibility gene for these attenuated polypotic syndromes. We used the sensitive DHPLC technique to search for possible predisposing germline mutations in the entire APC gene in 91 risk subjects from these high- and low-risk syndromes with unknown predisposing genes. Most exons were also screened for mutations in 96 normal controls and 96 colorectal cancer cases. In our study we probably have identified the most common APC variants in a Swedish population. Among 30 germline variants identified, 1 clearly pathogenic nonsense mutation and 11 putative pathogenic variants (10 missense and one 3' UTR) were found in 20 index patients (22%). Twelve silent as well as 5 intronic variants were considered nonpathogenic. Two of the missense variants found here, E1317Q and D1822V, have previously been related to a difference in risk of colorectal cancer. One variant, 8636C>A, located within the 3' UTR region of the APC gene, was suggested to constitute an additional low risk allele with a similar relative risk as the Jewish I1307K mutation (OR = 1.8; 95% CI, 0.96-3.40). The question of whether all the other variants confer an increased colorectal cancer risk warrants future large association studies.

Alleles↗
PubMed1996

Cranial desmoid tumor associated with homozygous inactivation of the adenomatous polyposis coli gene in a 2-year-old girl with familial adenomatous polyposis.

BACKGROUND: Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a dominantly inherited disorder characterized by the presence of more than 100 adenomatous polyps in the colon and rectum starting in the second decade of life. FAP is associated with extra colonic manifestations, including desmoid tumors. METHODS: A 2-year-old girl presented with a rapidly enlarging tumor of the forehead and a family history of FAP. The tumor was cultured for cytogenetic studies. A DNA linkage study using flanking and intragenic polymorphisms of the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene was performed to identify the allele loss in the tumor. Germline mutation identification was by single strand conformation polymorphism analysis of exon 15 of the APC gene, with subsequent double stranded sequencing of fragments with conformational changes. A mutation-induced loss of a restriction site was used to confirm allele loss in the tumor. RESULTS: Microscopically, the tumor had desmoid features. Cytogenetic analysis of the tumor demonstrated loss of chromosome region 5(q21q22). A truncating adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene mutation was identified in the leukocyte DNA from the child and her affected father. Linked DNA markers suggested that the tumor had lost the maternal, wild-type allele. A mutation-induced restriction endonuclease site alteration demonstrated hemizygosity of the mutant sequence in the tumor DNA. CONCLUSIONS: These findings are compatible with the presence of a "second hit" inactivation of the APC gene and implicate this gene in the pathogenesis of desmoid tumors.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗
PubMed1994

Alterations of tumor suppressor genes and allelic losses in human hepatocellular carcinomas in China.

Aflatoxin B1 has been suggested as a causative agent for a G to T mutation at codon 249 in the p53 gene in human hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) from southern Africa and Qidong in China. The objective of the present work was to test the hypothesis that exposure to aflatoxin B1 either alone or coincident with other environmental carcinogens might be associated with allelic losses occurring during development of human hepatocarcinogenesis in China. The HCCs were obtained from two different areas in China: Qidong, where exposure to hepatitis B virus (HBV) and aflatoxin B1 is high; and Beijing, where exposure to HBV is high but that of aflatoxin B1 is low. We analyzed the tumors for mutations in the p53 gene and loss of heterozygosity for the p53, Rb, and APC genes and at marker loci on chromosomes 4, 13, and 16. Frequencies of mutation, loss, and aberration (mutation and loss) of the p53 gene in 25 HCCs from Qidong were 60, 58, and 80%, respectively. The frequencies in 9 HCCs from Beijing were 56, 57, and 78%. However, the frequency of a G to T transversion at codon 249 in HCCs from Qidong and Beijing were 52 and 0%, respectively. These data indicate that mutation and/or loss of heterozygosity in the p53 gene, independent of the 249 mutation, play a critical role in the development of hepatitis B virus-associated HCCs in China. Loss of the Rb and APC genes was observed in 44 and 7% of HCCs from Qidong, respectively. Allelic losses on chromosome 4 and especially on chromosome 16 were frequent in HCCs from Qidong but were not observed in HCCs from Beijing, while loss of heterozygosity on chromosome 13 occurred at similar frequency in both Qidong and Beijing. These results show a distinct difference in the pattern of allelic losses between HCCs in Qidong and Beijing and suggest that aflatoxin B1 and/or other environmental carcinogens may contribute to this difference.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2000

Novel germline APC mutations in Swedish patients with familial adenomatous polyposis and Gardner syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a familial cancer syndrome in which affected individuals develop multiple adenomatous polyps and are thereby at greatly increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. Gardner syndrome is a variant of FAP, in which the patients also develop extraintestinal tumors, in particular osteomas and desmoid tumors. An attenuated form of the disease (AFAP) is associated with fewer polyps, but still a high risk for colorectal cancer. Germline mutations in the adenomatosis polyposis coli (APC) gene cause FAP and Gardner syndrome and have recently been associated also with the development of AFAP. METHODS: We have analysed the entire APC gene for germline mutations in 7 patients with FAP and in 6 patients with suspected AFAP. Mutation screening was performed by direct sequencing of exons 1-14 and using the protein truncation test for analysis of exon 15. RESULTS: Novel disease-causing germline mutations, all of which resulted in truncation of the APC protein, were identified in 6 of the 7 patients with FAP or Gardner syndrome. No APC mutation was detected in any of the 6 patients with suspected AFAP. CONCLUSIONS: This study reports novel FAP- and Gardner syndrome-causing mutations in the APC gene. The lack of APC mutations in patients with multiple polyps at young age indicates that other genetic defects may cause this phenotype.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗
PubMed1993

Detailed analysis of genetic alterations in colorectal tumors from patients with and without familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).

To examine early genetic events during colorectal carcinogenesis, we searched for genetic alterations in 75 adenomas from seven patients with familial polyposis coli (FAP) and in 64 sporadic colorectal tumors (63 carcinomas and one adenoma). We investigated germ-line and somatic mutations in the APC gene, somatic mutations in the K-ras and p53 genes, and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome 8p21-22. Thirty-two FAP adenomas carried detectable somatic mutations in the APC gene. The frequency of somatic APC mutations among adenomas was the same regardless of differences in size or histopathological classification. On the other hand, K-ras mutation was very rare in small adenomas where dysplasia was mild or moderate but frequent in large adenomas with severe dysplasia. Mutation of the p53 gene was observed in only two adenomas and LOH on 8p22 was detected in none. These results imply that a second 'hit' in the APC gene, but not necessarily mutation in K-ras or p53, is an important and critical event for formation of a colorectal adenoma.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗
PubMed1989

Genetic analysis of colorectal cancer.

Adenomatous polyposis, mainly of the colon, (APC) is a rare dominantly inherited susceptibility to colon cancer in which individuals develop hundreds of polyps mainly in their large bowel. The APC gene has been localised to chromosome 5q21 by following up a case report of an individual with an interstitial deletion on chromosome 5q who had multiple developmental abnormalities together with adenomatous polyposis. A DNA marker (D5S71) was found to be closely linked to APC in family studies and localised to 5q21 by in situ annealing. Material from further patients with deletions in this region of chromosome 5 has been used, by a combination of somatic cell hybrid and long-range DNA analysis, to identify new DNA markers close to the APC gene. These and other markers now provide the basis for genetic counselling of nearly all families with APC. These studies are being extended, together with other approaches for analysing DNA clones around the APC gene, in the search for the gene itself. Allele loss in tumour as compared to normal tissue from sporadic cases of colorectal carcinomas has clearly implicated the APC gene in at least 25 to 40% of all cases of colorectal carcinomas. Similar studies by Vogelstein and others as well as ourselves have further implicated recessive changes on chromosomes 17 and 18 in the development of colorectal carcinomas. Following the demonstration by Vogelstein of the role of p53 mutations in connection with the chromosome 17 changes, we have now shown, using monoclonal antibodies to the mutant p53 products and by other approaches, that changes in the p53 gene may occur in up to 50% or more of colorectal carcinomas. Frequent mutations of the K-ras dominant oncogene, as well as changes in the expression of human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-A, B, C determinants, are further genetic changes that appear commonly to be involved in the progression of colorectal carcinomas. The latter have important implications for T cell immune response to tumours and its manipulation for treatment and even prevention of colorectal cancer. We may soon be approaching a situation when it will become possible to identify all the genetic steps and their sequence during tumour progression, as well as their functional significance largely through the induction of inappropriate growth and the suppression of differentiation.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗
PubMed1995

Phosphorylation of the adenomatous polyposis coli protein and its possible regulatory effects in cells.

The adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene is etiologically associated with familial adenomatous polyposis and gastrointestinal malignancies, but its cellular function and role in tumorigenesis are unclear. Recent reports indicate that wild-type, but not mutant, APC gene product (APC) is associated with and promotes the assembly of cytoskeletal microtubules in vitro, suggesting that this mechanism has importance in tumor development. Because other microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) undergo phosphorylation in their normal functioning, we postulated that APC is a phosphoprotein. HCT116 cells, containing full-length APC protein, were [32P]-prelabeled, and a 300-kDa band corresponding to phosphorylated APC was immunoprecipitated using each of three different anti-APC antibodies. High voltage electrophoresis of [32P]-labeled APC showed the presence of phospho-serine and phospho-threonine residues. Further immunoprecipitation analyses showed phosphorylation of i) full-length APC in human lymphoblastoid cells and ii) carboxyl-truncated APC in SW480 and DiFi colon carcinoma cells. Thus, APC is probably a phosphoprotein in normal and malignant tissues. We hypothesize a mechanism whereby phosphorylation of APC may play a regulatory role in its interaction with microtubules. This may involve phosphorylation of (Ser/Thr)-Pro amino acid motifs in APC's basic domain. We propose that deletion of this domain disrupts APC binding to microtubules, explaining how APC mutations are linked to cancer development.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein↗
PubMed2003

[Mutational studies of adenomatous polyposis coli gene in carcinomas from patients with hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancers].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the mutational features of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene and to explore the effect of mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency on its mutations in hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancers (HNPCC). METHODS: PCR-based in vitro synthesized protein test (IVSP) assay and sequencing analysis were used to confirm somatic mutations of whole APC gene in 19 HNPCC patients. RESULTS: Eleven cases with thirteen mutations were determined. The frequency of APC mutation was 58%(11/19). The exhibiting mutations consisted of 9 frameshift mutations and 4 nonsense ones, indicating the existence of more frameshift mutations (69%). All of frameshift mutations were deletion or insertion of 1-2 bp and most of them (7/9) happened at simple nucleotide repeat sequences, particularly within (A) n tracts (5/9). All of four nonsense mutations resulted from C to T transitions at CpG sites. CONCLUSION: Mutational inactivations of APC gene were detected in more than half of HNPCC patients in this study, indicating that APC mutation is a common molecular event in the tumorigenesis of HNPCC. According to the location of frameshift mutations at simple nucleotide repeat sequences and point mutations at CpG sites, it was suggested that endogenous mechanisms like MMR deficiency might exert an effect on the nature of APC mutations in most HNPCC.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗
PubMed2005

Who takes the lead in the development of ulcerative colitis-associated colorectal cancers: mutator, suppressor, or methylator pathway?

Although several genetic alterations have been identified in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), it remains unclear whether these changes indicate an increased risk for malignancy. This paper analyzes the involvement of suppressor, mutator, and methylator pathways in malignant transformation associated with UC. A total of 60 colonic samples (47 affected non-neoplastic mucosa, 7 dysplasia, and 6 carcinoma) from 51 UC patients were analyzed for 22 microsatellite markers. p53 gene exons 5-8 were analyzed by single-strand conformational polymorphism, and APC gene by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (exons 1-14) and protein truncation test (exon 15). Methylation studies for MLH1 and CSPG2 genes were also performed. Microsatellite instability was absent in all samples whereas allelic imbalance (AI) and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) were detected mainly in samples with neoplastic transformation (P<0.0001). AI and/or LOH at loci located on chromosomes 5, 9, and 18 were significantly more frequent in neoplastic samples (P<0.01), as were TP53 gene mutations (P<0.007). A single mutation was detected for APC gene in a cancer sample. MLH1 gene methylation was absent in all analyzed samples, whereas CSPG2 gene methylation was detected in a single non-neoplastic sample. Our results suggest that the suppressor pathway plays the main role in UC associated tumorigenic progression. LOH at specific loci located on chromosomes 5, 9, and 18 appears to be specifically associated with malignancy risk.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed2001

Molecular genetic alterations in hamartomatous polyps and carcinomas of patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome.

AIM: To investigate whether mutations in the STK11/LKB1 gene and genes implicated in the colorectal adenoma-carcinoma sequence are involved in Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) related tumorigenesis. METHODS: Thirty nine polyps and five carcinomas from 17 patients (from 13 families) with PJS were analysed for loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at 19p13.3 (STK11/LKB1 gene locus), 5q21 (APC gene locus), 18q21-22 (Smad4 and Smad2 gene locus), and 17p13 (p53 gene locus), and evaluated for immunohistochemical staining of p53. In addition, mutational analysis of K-ras codon 12, APC, and p53 and immunohistochemistry for Smad4 expression were performed on all carcinomas. RESULTS: LOH at 19p was seen in 15 of the 39 polyps and in all carcinomas (n = 5). Interestingly, six of the seven polyps from patients with cancer had LOH, compared with nine of the 31 polyps from the remaining patients (p = 0.01). In one polyp from a patient without a germline STK11/LKB1 mutation, no LOH at 19p or at three alternative PJS candidate loci (19q, 6p, and 6q) was found. No LOH at 5q was observed. However, mutational analysis revealed an APC mutation in four of the five carcinomas. LOH at 17p was not seen in polyps or carcinomas; immunohistochemistry showed expression of p53 in one carcinoma and focal expression in three polyps. At subsequent sequence analysis, no p53 mutation was found. One carcinoma had an activating K-ras codon 12 mutation and another carcinoma showed 18q LOH; however, no loss of Smad4 expression was seen. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide further evidence that STK11/LKB1 acts as a tumour suppressor gene, and may be involved in the early stages of PJS tumorigenesis. Further research is needed to see whether LOH in PJS polyps could be used as a biomarker to predict cancer. Differences in molecular genetic alterations noted between the adenoma-carcinoma sequence and PJS related tumours suggest the presence of a distinct pathway of carcinogenesis.

AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases↗
PubMed2003

[Familial adenomatous polyposis syndrome (FAP): pathogenesis and molecular mechanisms].

The impact that modern molecular biology has had on elucidating the genetic basis of neoplasia is best illustrated by the paradigm of sporadic and hereditary colon cancer. The clinical and hereditary picture of the familial adenomatous polyposis syndrome (FAP) implied the existence of a single gene that regulates the formation of adenomatous polyps, the precursor for most colorectal cancers. The identification of an interstitial deletion on chromosome 5q in a patient with Gardner's variant of FAP combined with classic linkage analysis facilitated the positional cloning of the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene in 1991. FAP is caused by germline mutations in the APC gene. Somatic mutations in the APC gene are an early event in colorectal tumorigenesis, and can be detected in the majority of colorectal tumors. APC consists of 8,535 bp spanning 21 exons (16 translated exons) and encodes a 2,861 amino acid protein that is expressed in specific epithelial and mesenchymal cells of several fetal and adult human tissues. The APC protein is a large multidomain protein with a molecular mass of 300 kD. The best-known function of the APC protein is the Wnt-1 signaling pathway. Binding Wnt to its receptor, frizzled), leads to the inactivation of the glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta in a cytoplasmic complex with APC, beta-catenin, axin and components of the ubiquitin ligation machinery. This leads to a decrease in beta-catenin phosphorylation and inhibits its proteasomal degradation. As a consequence, increased beta-catenin is available to bind transcription factors leading to the activation of proliferative genes. In addition, APC has recently emerged as a multifunctional protein that can affect a variety of fundamental cellular processes, in particular cytoskeletal regulation and chromosomal stability. Improved understanding of both the genetics and biology of APC may, in time, culminate in preventive or therapeutic strategies specifically targeted at reducing the burden of colorectal cancer.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗
PubMed2006

Hypermethylation of the APC promoter but lack of APC mutations in myxoid/round-cell liposarcoma.

The adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) protein is a key component of the WNT signalling pathway wherein it acts as a scaffolding protein in controlling the level of the proto-oncoprotein beta-catenin. Although APC has been shown to be genetically or epigenetically inactivated in a variety of carcinomas, little is known about its role in sarcoma. Liposarcomas (LPSs) are the second most common soft tissue sarcoma in adults. Despite different histology and malignancy, the myxoid and round-cell LPSs belong to one tumour entity characterized by a specific chromosomal translocation. We assessed the extent of genetic and epigenetic inactivation of the APC gene in myxoid/round-cell LPS. Sequencing of the mutation cluster region, the protein truncation test and a loss of heterozygosity (LOH) analysis did not reveal any genetic alterations of the APC gene in all of the liposarcoma samples. Methylation of the APC promoter was detected by methylation-specific PCR in 9 of 20 (45%) tumours. Analysis of APC expression by semiquantitative RT-PCR in a subset of the samples demonstrated that tumours with a methylated APC promoter showed a downregulation of the APC transcript. However, APC downregulation was not correlated with a stabilisation of the beta-catenin protein. Thus, the epigenetic regulation of the APC gene might play an important role in the pathogenesis of myxoid/round-cell LPS. However, the impact of APC methylation on liposarcoma development is quite likely not mediated through WNT signalling.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Analysis of somatic APC mutations in rare extracolonic tumors of patients with familial adenomatous polyposis coli.

Patients with familial adenomatous polyposis coli (FAP) carry heterozygous mutations of the APC gene. At a young age, these patients develop multiple colorectal adenomas that consistently display a second somatic mutation in the remaining APC wild-type allele. Inactivation of APC leads to impaired degradation of beta-catenin, thereby promoting continuous cell-cycle progression. The role of APC inactivation in rare extracolonic tumors of FAP patients has not been characterized sufficiently. Among tissue specimen from 174 patients with known APC germ-line mutations, we identified 8 tumors infrequently seen in FAP. To investigate the pathogenic role of APC pathway deregulation in these lesions, they were analyzed for second-hit somatic mutations in the mutational cluster region of the APC gene. Immunohistochemistry was performed to compare the expression pattern of beta-catenin to the mutational status of the APC gene. Exon 3 of the beta-catenin gene (CTNNB1) was analyzed for activating mutations to investigate alternative mechanisms of elevated beta-catenin concentration. Although CTNNB1 mutations were not observed, second somatic APC mutations were found in 4 of the 8 tumors: a uterine adenocarcinoma, a hepatocellular adenoma, an adrenocortical adenoma, and an epidermal cyst. These tumors showed an elevated concentration of beta-catenin. No APC mutations were seen in focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver, angiofibrolipoma, and seborrheic wart. This is the first study reporting second somatic APC mutations in FAP-associated uterine adenocarcinoma and epidermal cysts. Furthermore, our data strengthen a role for impaired APC function in the pathogenesis of adrenal and hepatic neoplasms in FAP patients.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1997

Frequent somatic mutations of the APC and p53 genes in sporadic ampullary carcinomas.

Although a close relation of somatic mutations of the adenomatous polyposis coli gene with ampullary carcinomas in familial adenomatous polyposis patients has been reported, the possible association with sporadic ampullary neoplasms has not been fully examined. We have therefore investigated loss of heterozygosity at the adenomatous polyposis coli locus and the mutational status of a portion of the adenomatous polyposis coli gene, including the mutation cluster region, in 17 ampullary carcinomas of non-familial adenomatous polyposis patients. Alteration of the adenomatous polyposis coli gene was found in 8 of 17 (47.1%) cases, as missense or insertion mutations, with or without loss of heterozygosity. Additional investigation of p53 (exons 5-8) and K-ras (codons 12 and 13) gene mutations revealed a striking mutational pattern of the p53 gene. Nine of the 17 cases demonstrated a total of 12 mutations, 6 clustered at codon 189 and 3 at codon 166. Furthermore, 5 of the 12 mutations were nonsense mutations. Regarding the K-ras gene, 4 of the 17 (23.5%) cases had mutations in codon 12, 3 of the 4 cases being derived from the intraduodenal bile duct. The findings indicate that alterations of the adenomatous polyposis coli and the p53 genes are relatively frequent in sporadic ampullary carcinomas. In particular, the clustering at specific p53 codons might offer an etiological clue to clarify ampullary carcinogenesis. Mutations of the K-ras gene, on the other hand, might be characteristic of intraduodenal bile duct origin.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗
PubMed2000

Chemopreventive efficacy of combined piroxicam and difluoromethylornithine treatment of Apc mutant Min mouse adenomas, and selective toxicity against Apc mutant embryos.

Genetic knockout or pharmacological inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 decreases the number and size of adenomas in mouse models of familial adenomatous polyposis. Epidemiological and clinical studies in humans indicate that the entire class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that inhibit both COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes are promising colon cancer chemopreventive agents. We used the Apc mutant Min mouse model to test combinations of agents that might maximize preventive benefit with minimal toxicity because they act via different mechanisms. Min mice (n = 144) were exposed to low doses of the nonselective COX inhibitor piroxicam and the ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) inhibitor difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), beginning at the time they were weaned and continuing throughout the duration of the experiment. Piroxicam at 12, 25, and 50 ppm in the diet caused dose-dependent decreases in the number of tumors in the middle and distal portions of the small intestine. This decrease in tumor multiplicity was associated with a striking decrease in the size of those tumors that did grow out. In contrast, none of the doses of piroxicam alone decreased tumor multiplicity in the proximal portion of the intestine (duodenum). Exposure to DFMO (0.5 or 1.0% in water) caused a dose-dependent decrease in tumor multiplicity in the middle and distal portions of the small intestine. However, this decreased multiplicity was not associated with a striking decrease in the size of the tumors. Combined treatment of mice with piroxicam plus DFMO was much more effective than either agent alone and resulted in a significant number of mice totally free of any intestinal adenomas (P < 0.001), in contrast to the 100% incidence and high multiplicity in control Min mice. In addition to this profound effectiveness in reducing tumor number, the few residual tumors in mice treated with the combined drugs were markedly smaller in size than tumors that arose from control Min mice. These experiments suggest that selective COX-2 inhibition combined with ODC inhibition is a very promising approach for colon cancer prevention. These COX-2 and ODC inhibitor drugs were not overtly toxic at the doses used when administered to mice after weaning. However, when treatment was begun in utero, the Mendelian expected progeny ratio of 1:1 that we routinely obtained in untreated control litters was no longer observed. Apc(min)/+ progeny of pregnant dams treated with piroxicam and/or DFMO were reduced in number and their ratio to Apc+/+ progeny was decreased to approximately 0.28:1. Thus, these agents are effective against adenomas that have homozygous mutation of the APC gene and also select against fetuses bearing a heterozygous mutation in the APC gene.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1996

[APC mutation analysis in sporadic colorectal cancer].

APC gene, responsible for familial adenomatous polyposiscoli, is one of the tumor suppressor genes involved in tumorigenesis of sporadic colorectal cancer. Because the majority of APC mutations are located in the 5' end of exon 15 and 95% of them generate stop codon, a coupled in vitro transcription and translation system (IVSP) was used to detect somatic APC mutation of exon 15 in sporadic colorectal cancer. Forty-nine mutated sporadic cases containing 59 truncated bands (9 cases with 2 bands) were identified. The results of the study showed: 1. APC frameshift mutations were more frequent than point mutations (60% vs 40%). Most of the frameshift mutations (32/35) were deletion or insertion of 1-2 bp, whereas 16 of all 23 point mutations presented C-to-T transitions. Mutations (57/59) were mostly but unevenly distributed in segment 2 and 3 of exon 15, while in segment 3, 69% (45/59) of all the mutations were predominantly located in mutation cluster region (codon 1286-1531). In seven of the 9 cases with 2 mutations their close proximity with each other is suggestive of the possibility of mutations at 2 independent alleles. The similarities between APC somatic and germline mutations suggest that APC gene might well have some common functions during the tumorigenesis of sporadic and hereditary coloretal cancer.

Colonic Neoplasms↗
PubMed1998

Novel protein isoforms of the APC tumor suppressor in neural tissue.

The conventional protein isoform of the APC tumor suppressor is 310 kD and is encoded by exons 1 - 15 of the APC gene. Other RNAs are expressed from the APC gene and include one form that contains an exon upstream of exon 1, designated BS, but this transcript does not include exon 1. This transcript recently has been shown to be enriched in non-dividing, terminally-differentiated cells (Santoro and Groden, 1997). To determine if the BS-containing transcript encoded an alternate APC protein isoform, we generated and affinity-purified a polyclonal antibody directed to protein sequence predicted by exon BS. The BS antibody labeled a band of approximately 300 kD on immunoblots of cerebral and cerebellar tissue from adult human, baboon, rat and mouse. These same tissue lysates also contained prominent BS-reactive proteins of 290 kD, 200 kD and 150 kD. Lysates from mitotically active cells did not contain these APC isoforms. To verify that BS-reactive proteins were APC isoforms, BS-immunoprecipitates were blotted and labeled with commercially available APC antibodies. All four high molecular weight BS-antibody-precipitated proteins were recognized by antibodies directed against epitopes encoded by APC exons 2 and 15. BS isoforms were not, however, labeled with antibodies to an epitope encoded by APC exon 1, consistent with the prediction that BS - APC isoforms lack the domain encoded by these sequences. Like conventional APC, at least one of the four BS-APC protein isoforms also interacts with beta-catenin. BS-APC isoforms that lack exon 1-encoded sequences are incapable of dimerization with the conventional form of APC, yet retain the ability to bind beta-catenin. Such isoforms are likely to be functionally distinct from the conventional APC protein.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein↗