Elevated Transforming Growth Factor-β 1 and β3 mRNA Levels are Associated withras+myc-induced Carcinomas in Reconstituted Mouse Prostate: Evidence for a Paracrine Role during Progression

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Mouse prostate reconstitution is a useful model for studying the progression of ras + myc-induced carcinomas. When these oncogenes were introduced into both the epithelial and the mesenchymal compartments, poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas resulted. Restricted introduction of both oncogenes into the epithelium produced epithelial hyperplasia. Malignancies were produced in two out of 17 cases of selectively transformed epithelium, suggesting that the hyperplastic condition represents a premalignant phenotype. Restricted introduction of both oncogenes into the mesenchyme produced only mesenchymal dysplasia. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and β3 (TGF-β3) mRNA levels were elevated in the ras + myc-induced carcinomas when compared to the normal controls or to the epithelial hyperplasias. In contrast, TGF-β2 mRNA levels were similar in all control and ras + myc-induced carcinomas. Elevated TGF-β1 mRNA levels were also found in mesenchymal dysplasia pointing to a potential paracrine activity by the ras + myc transformed mesenchyme. We conclude that elevated TGF-β1 and β3 are correlated with progression to malignancy and that mesenchyme derived TGF-β1 may play an important role in the promotion of ras + myc-induced carcinomas in this model system.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: