High-grade glioma formation results from postnatal pten loss or mutant epidermal growth factor receptor expression in a transgenic mouse glioma model

Cancer Res. 2006 Aug 1;66(15):7429-37. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-06-0712.

Abstract

High-grade gliomas are devastating brain tumors associated with a mean survival of <50 weeks. Two of the most common genetic changes observed in these tumors are overexpression/mutation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) vIII and loss of PTEN/MMAC1 expression. To determine whether somatically acquired EGFRvIII expression or Pten loss accelerates high-grade glioma development, we used a previously characterized RasB8 glioma-prone mouse strain, in which these specific genetic changes were focally introduced at 4 weeks of age. We show that both postnatal EGFRvIII expression and Pten inactivation in RasB8 mice potentiate high-grade glioma development. Moreover, we observe a concordant loss of Pten and EGFR overexpression in nearly all high-grade gliomas induced by either EGFRvIII introduction or Pten inactivation. This novel preclinical model of high-grade glioma will be useful in evaluating brain tumor therapies targeted to the pathways specifically dysregulated by EGFR expression or Pten loss.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain Neoplasms / enzymology
  • Brain Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology
  • Chlorides
  • Contrast Media
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • ErbB Receptors / biosynthesis
  • ErbB Receptors / genetics*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Gene Silencing
  • Glioma / enzymology
  • Glioma / genetics*
  • Glioma / pathology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Manganese Compounds
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase / deficiency*
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase / genetics

Substances

  • Chlorides
  • Contrast Media
  • Manganese Compounds
  • epidermal growth factor receptor VIII
  • ErbB Receptors
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase
  • Pten protein, mouse
  • manganese chloride