Mutational analysis of the beta-catenin gene in gastric carcinomas

Tumour Biol. 2001 Mar-Apr;22(2):123-30. doi: 10.1159/000050606.

Abstract

Previous studies reported that mutation of the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene was not observed in the majority of gastric cancers. To evaluate the role of the APC/beta-catenin/Tcf pathway, we analyzed mutations in the beta-catenin gene and the accumulation of beta-catenin protein in gastric carcinomas. An interstitial deletion spanning exon 3 of the beta-catenin gene was observed in 1 of 13 gastric cancer cell lines. No missense mutation was found in these 13 cell lines. Nuclear and/or cytoplasmic localization of beta-catenin was observed in 16 of 70 primary gastric carcinomas by immunohistochemistry, while we found no mutations in exon 3 in 35 carcinoma tissues available for PCR amplification. Our findings suggest that somatic mutations of the beta-catenin gene are rare in human gastric carcinomas and that accumulation of normal beta-catenin protein in a subset of gastric cancers may be due to other mechanisms of its activation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein
  • Carcinoma / genetics*
  • Carcinoma / metabolism
  • Carcinoma / pathology
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Cytoplasm / metabolism
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / genetics*
  • DNA Mutational Analysis*
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism
  • Exons
  • Gene Deletion
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Models, Genetic
  • Mutation*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Stomach Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Stomach Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Stomach Neoplasms / pathology
  • Trans-Activators*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • beta Catenin

Substances

  • Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein
  • CTNNB1 protein, human
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • Trans-Activators
  • beta Catenin