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Experimental models and biological mechanisms for tumor promotion
1McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706.
Cancer Cells (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. : 1989)
|January 1, 1990
Summary
Carcinogenesis in mouse skin occurs in two stages: initiation and promotion. Initiation often involves proto-oncogene mutations, while promotion involves gene expression changes and cell proliferation.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Dermatology
Background:
- Skin tumor induction in mice provides a model for carcinogenesis.
- The two-stage model of carcinogenesis (initiation and promotion) is well-established for epithelial tissues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the initiation and promotion stages of skin carcinogenesis.
- To understand the genetic and cellular events involved in tumor development.
Main Methods:
- Review of research on mouse skin tumor induction over the past twenty years.
- Analysis of genetic alterations and gene expression changes during carcinogenesis.
Main Results:
- The two-stage model of carcinogenesis is broadly applicable to epithelial tissues.
- Initiation frequently involves dominant mutations in cellular proto-oncogenes.
- Promotion is a complex process including altered gene expression, cell proliferation, and further genetic alterations.
Conclusions:
- Skin carcinogenesis is a multi-step process involving distinct initiation and promotion phases.
- Understanding these stages is crucial for developing targeted cancer prevention and treatment strategies.