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  • Molecular and Cellular Pathology
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Reduced PTEN expression in the pancreas overexpressing transforming growth factor-beta 1

British Journal of Cancer volume 86, pages 257–262 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

PTEN is a candidate tumour suppressor gene and frequently mutated in multiple cancers, however, not in pancreatic cancer. Recently, it has been demonstrated that PTEN expression is regulated by TGF-β1. Using TGF-β1 transgenic mice (n=7) and wildtype littermates (n=6), as well as pancreatic tissues obtained from organ donors (n=10) and patients with pancreatic cancer (n=10), we assessed the expression of PTEN by means of immunohistochemistry and semiquantitative PCR analysis. In addition, PANC-1 cells were treated with TGF-β1 in vitro and the levels of PTEN mRNA were determined in these cells. In human pancreatic cancers PTEN mRNA levels were significantly decreased (P<0.05). In addition, in the pancreas of TGF-β1 transgenic mice the expression of PTEN was significantly reduced (P<0.01), as compared to wildtype littermates and incubation of PANC-1 cells with TGF-β1 decreased PTEN mRNA levels after 24 h. Inasmuch as TGF-β1 decreases PTEN expression in human pancreatic cancer cells and human pancreatic cancers overexpress TGF-β1, the reduced expression of PTEN in pancreatic cancer may be mediated by TGF-β1 overexpression. Thus, although PTEN is not mutated in pancreatic cancers, the reduction of its expression may give pancreatic cancer cells an additional growth advantage.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by grants from the Matthias-Lackas-Stiftung and the Land Sachsen-Anhalt awarded to MPA Ebert. L Schandl was supported by the DAAD.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, Otto-von-Guericke University, Leipzigerstr. 44, Magdeburg, D-39120, Germany

    M P A Ebert, G Fei, L Schandl & P Malfertheiner

  2. Institute of Neuropathology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, D-39120, Germany

    C Mawrin & K Dietzmann

  3. Department of Morphology, University of Geneva, Geneva, CH-1211, Switzerland

    P Herrera

  4. Department of Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University of Berne, Berne, CH-3010, Switzerland

    H Friess

  5. Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Ulm, Ulm, D-89069, Germany

    T M Gress

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  1. M P A Ebert
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Correspondence to M P A Ebert.

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Ebert, M., Fei, G., Schandl, L. et al. Reduced PTEN expression in the pancreas overexpressing transforming growth factor-beta 1. Br J Cancer 86, 257–262 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bjc.6600031

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