At least four genes and sex are associated with susceptibility to urethane-induced pulmonary adenomas in mice

Critical Role of the Sulfiredoxin-Peroxiredoxin IV Axis in Urethane-Induced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common type of lung cancer, etiologically associates with tobacco smoking which mechanistically contributes to oxidative stress to facilitate the occurrence of mutations, oncogenic transformation and aberrantly activated signaling pathways. Our previous reports suggested an essential role of Sulfiredoxin (Srx) in promoting the development of lung cancer in humans, and was causally related to Peroxiredoxin IV (Prx4), the major downstream substrate and mediator of Srx-enhanced signaling. To further explore the role of the Srx-Prx4 axis in de novo lung tumorigenesis, we established Prx4-/- and Srx-/-/Prx4-/- mice in pure FVB/N background. Together with wild-type litter mates, these mice were exposed to carcinogenic urethane and the development of lung tumorigenesis was evaluated. We found that disruption of the Srx-Prx4 axis, either through knockout of Srx/Prx4 alone or together, led to a reduced number and size of lung tumors in mice. Immunohistological studies found that loss of Srx/Prx4 led to reduced rate of cell proliferation and less intratumoral macrophage infiltration. Mechanistically, we found that exposure to urethane increased the levels of reactive oxygen species, activated the expression of and Prx4 in normal lung epithelial cells, while knockout of Prx4 inhibited urethane-induced cell transformation. Moreover, bioinformatics analysis found that the Srx-Prx4 axis is activated in many human cancers, and their increased expression is tightly correlated with poor prognosis in NSCLC patients.

How to Better Understand the Influence of Host Genetics on Developing an Effective Immune Response to Thoracic Cancers

Thoracic cancers pose a significant global health burden. Immune checkpoint blockade therapies have improved treatment outcomes, but durable responses remain limited. Understanding how the host immune system interacts with a developing tumor is essential for the rational development of improved treatments for thoracic malignancies. Recent technical advances have improved our understanding of the mutational burden of cancer cells and changes in cancer-specific gene expression, providing a detailed understanding of the complex biology underpinning tumor-host interactions. While there has been much focus on the genetic alterations associated with cancer cells and how they may impact treatment outcomes, how host genetics affects cancer development is also critical and will greatly determine treatment response. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified genetic variants associated with cancer predisposition. This approach has successfully identified host genetic risk factors associated with common thoracic cancers like lung cancer, but is less effective for rare cancers like malignant mesothelioma. To assess how host genetics impacts rare thoracic cancers, we used the Collaborative Cross (CC); a powerful murine genetic resource designed to maximize genetic diversity and rapidly identify genes associated with any biological trait. We are using the CC in conjunction with our asbestos-induced MexTAg mouse model, to identify host genes associated with mesothelioma development. Once genes that moderate tumor development and progression are known, human homologues can be identified and human datasets interrogated to validate their association with disease outcome. Furthermore, our CC-MexTAg animal model enables in-depth study of the tumor microenvironment, allowing the correlation of immune cell infiltration and gene expression signatures with disease development. This strategy provides a detailed picture of the underlying biological pathways associated with mesothelioma susceptibility and progression; knowledge that is crucial for the rational development of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Here we discuss the influence of host genetics on developing an effective immune response to thoracic cancers. We highlight current knowledge gaps, and with a focus on mesothelioma, describe the development and application of the CC-MexTAg to overcome limitations and illustrate how the knowledge gained from this unique study will inform the rational design of future treatments of mesothelioma.

Cardio-Respiratory synchronized bSSFP MRI for high throughput in vivo lung tumour quantification

The identification and measurement of tumours is a key requirement in the study of tumour development in mouse models of human cancer. Disease burden in autochthonous tumours, such as those arising in the lung, can be seen with non-invasive imaging, but cannot be accurately measured using standard tools such as callipers. Lung imaging is further complicated in the mouse due to instabilities arising from the rapid but cyclic cardio-respiratory motions, and the desire to use free-breathing animals. Female A/JOlaHsd mice were either injected (i.p.) with PBS 0.1ml/10g body weight (n = 6), or 10% urethane/PBS 0.1ml/10g body weight (n = 12) to induce autochthonous lung tumours. Cardio-respiratory synchronised bSSFP MRI, at 200 μm isotropic resolution was performed at 8, 13 and 18 weeks post induction. Images from the same mouse at different time points were aligned using threshold-based segmented masks of the lungs (ITK-SNAP and MATLAB) and tumour volumes were determined via threshold-based segmentation (ITK-SNAP).Scan times were routinely below 10 minutes and tumours were readily identifiable. Image registration allowed serial measurement of tumour volumes as small as 0.056 mm³. Repetitive imaging did not lead to mouse welfare issues. We have developed a motion desensitised scan that enables high sensitivity MRI to be performed with high throughput capability of greater than 4 mice/hour. Image segmentation and registration allows serial measurement of individual, small tumours. This allows fast and highly efficient volumetric lung tumour monitoring in cohorts of 30 mice per imaging time point. As a result, adaptive trial study designs can be achieved, optimizing experimental and welfare outcomes.

Nrf2-activated expression of sulfiredoxin contributes to urethane-induced lung tumorigenesis

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Cigarette smoking and exposure to chemical carcinogens are among the risk factors of lung tumorigenesis. In this study, we found that cigarette smoke condensate and urethane significantly stimulated the expression of sulfiredoxin (Srx) at the transcript and protein levels in cultured normal lung epithelial cells, and such stimulation was mediated through the activation of nuclear related factor 2 (Nrf2). To study the role of Srx in lung cancer development in vivo, mice with Srx wildtype, heterozygous or knockout genotype were subjected to the same protocol of urethane treatment to induce lung tumors. By comparing tumor multiplicity and volume between groups of mice with different genotype, we found that Srx knockout mice had a significantly lower number and smaller size of lung tumors. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that loss of Srx led to a decrease of tumor cell proliferation as well as an increase of tumor cell apoptosis. These data suggest that Srx may have an oncogenic role that contributes to the development of lung cancer in smokers or urethane-exposed human subjects.

Complex genetic control of lung tumorigenesis in resistant mice strains

The SM/J mouse strain is resistant to chemically‐induced lung tumorigenesis despite having a haplotype, in the pulmonary adenoma susceptibility locus (Pas1) locus, that confers tumor susceptibility in other strains. To clarify this inconsistent genotype‐phenotype correlation, we crossed SM/J mice with another resistant strain and conducted genome‐wide linkage analysis in the (C57BL/6J × SM/J)F2 progeny exposed to urethane to induce lung tumors. Overall, >80% of F2 mice of both sexes developed from 1 to 20 lung tumors. Genotyping of 372 F2 mice for 744 informative non‐redundant SNPs dispersed over all autosomal chromosomes revealed four quantitative trait loci (QTLs) affecting lung tumor multiplicity, on chromosomes 3 (near rs13477379), 15 (rs6285067), 17 (rs33373629) and 18 (rs3706601), all with logarithm of the odds (LOD) scores >5. Four QTLs modulated total lung tumor volume, on chromosome 3 (rs13477379), 10 (rs13480702), 15 (rs6285067) and 17 (rs3682923), all with LOD scores >4. No QTL modulating lung tumor multiplicity or total volume was detected in Pas1 on chromosome 6. The present study demonstrates that the SM/J strain carries, at the Pas1 locus, the resistance allele: a finding that will facilitate identification of the Pas1 causal element. More generally, it demonstrates that lung tumorigenesis is under complex polygenic control even in a pedigree with low susceptibility to this neoplasia, suggesting that the genetics of lung tumorigenesis is much more complex than evidenced by the pulmonary adenoma susceptibility and resistance loci that have, so far, been mapped in a small number of crosses between a few inbred strains.

Sex-related differences of urethane and sodium valproate effects on Ki-67 expression in urethane-induced lung tumors of mice

The aim of the present study was to evaluate sex differences in tumorigenesis by assessing the number of Ki-67-positive cells [Ki-67(+)] in urethane-induced mice lung tumors and the effect of sodium valproate (NaVP) in BALB/c mice. Gonad-intact and gonadectomized female and male mice were divided into the following groups: i) Treated with urethane, ii) treated with urethane and NaVP and iii) gonad-intact or gonadectomized control. Urethane (total 50 mg/mouse) was injected intraperitoneally. The NaVP 0.4% solution was administered orally for 6 months. Histologically, lung tumors were divided into adenomas and adenocarcinomas and assessed immunohistochemically using antibodies against Ki-67. The Ki-67(+) was calculated per one mm² of a tumor. In adenomas, Ki-67(+) in the urethane-treated gonad-intact males was significantly higher than in females (P=0.001) and in castrated males (P<0.01); Ki-67(+) in adenomas of the urethane-treated gonad-intact males was significantly higher than in urethane-NaVP-treated ones (P<0.04). No significant differences were found in analogous female groups. In adenocarcinomas, Ki-67(+) in urethane-treated gonad-intact males was significantly higher than in females and gonadectomized mice of both sexes (P<0.001), and in ovariectomized females was significantly higher than in ovary-intact group (P=0.01). A significantly higher number of Ki-67(+) cells were observed in gonad-intact adenocarcinomas of the urethane-NaVP-treated females compared with the urethane-treated ones (P<0.001). Comparing between urethane-NaVP-treated gonadectomized males and females in adenocarcinomas, determined that Ki-67(+) was significantly lower in females (P=0.005). In adenocarcinomas, Ki-67(+) in urethane-NaVP-treated gonadectomized males and females was significantly lower than in gonad-intact mice of the same sex (P<0.001). In summary, gonadectomy with NaVP treatment decreased Ki-67(+) in adenocarcinomas for mice of both sexes. The results of the present study indicate sex-related differences in mice lung tumorigenesis, and a sex-related effect of NaVP on progression in urethane-induced BALB/c mice lung tumors.

Sodium Valproate Enhances the Urethane-Induced Lung Adenomas and Suppresses Malignization of Adenomas in Ovariectomized Female Mice

In the present study, the possible effect of sodium valproate (NaVP) on urethane-induced lung tumors in female mice has been evaluated. BALB/c mice (n = 60; 4-6 weeks old, females) were used in the following groups: (1) urethane-treated; (2) urethane-NaVP-treated; (3) only NaVP-treated; (4) control. In the same groups, ovariectomized female mice (n = 60) were investigated. Urethane was given intraperitoneally, with a total dose of 50 mg/mouse. In NaVP-treated mice groups, 0.4% aqueous solution of NaVP was offered to mice ad libitum. The duration of the experiment was 6 months. The number of tumors per mouse in ovariectomized mice and in those treated with urethane and NaVP was significantly higher than in mice treated with urethane only (8.29 ± 0.58 versus 6.0 ± 0.63, p < 0.02). No significant difference in the number of tumors per mouse was revealed while comparing the nonovariectomized urethane- and urethane-NaVP-treated groups (p = 0.13). A significant decrease of adenocarcinoma number in ovariectomized mice treated with a urethane-NaVP as compared with ovariectomized mice treated with urethane only was found (p = 0.031). NaVP together with low estrogen may have a protective effect on the malignization of adenomas in ovariectomized mice.

Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor modulates urethane-induced lung carcinogenesis

Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI), 11.7 kDa serine protease inhibitor, is produced primarily in the respiratory tract, but it is often elevated in lung, head/neck and ovarian cancers. SLPI expression in relation to cancer progression, metastasis and invasion has been studied extensively in non-small cell lung cancer. However, the role of SLPI during the early stages of carcinogenesis remains unknown. We hypothesized that SLPI is required from the initiation and promotion to the progression of lung carcinogenesis. A skin allograft model using SLPI-knockout (SLPI-KO) mice and short hairpin RNA-treated cells was used to demonstrate that SLPI expression in tumor cells is crucial for tumor formation. Moreover, lung tumorigenesis induced by urethane, a chemical lung carcinogen, was significantly suppressed in SLPI-KO mice in association with decreased nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) activity. SLPI deficiency also resulted in decreased cell numbers and decreased production of inflammatory cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids. The suppression of NF-κB activation in SLPI-KO mice was associated with lower expression of NF-κB-related survival genes and DNA repair genes. Our findings demonstrate that SLPI plays an important role from the initial stages of lung carcinogenesis to the progression of lung cancer in an NF-κB-dependent manner.

Multigenic nature of the mouse pulmonary adenoma progression 1 locus

Background

In an intercross between the SWR/J and BALB/c mouse strains, the pulmonary adenoma progression 1 (Papg1) locus on chromosome 4 modulates lung tumor size, one of several measures of lung tumor progression. This locus has not been fully characterized and defined in its extent and genetic content. Fine mapping of this and other loci affecting lung tumor phenotype is possible using recombinant inbred strains.

Results

A population of 376 mice, obtained by crossing mice of the SWR/J strain with CXBN recombinant inbred mice, was treated with a single dose of urethane and assayed for multiplicity of large lung tumors (N2lung). A genome-wide analysis comparing N2lung with 6364 autosomal SNPs revealed multiple peaks of association. The Papg1 locus had two peaks, at rs3654162 (70.574 Mb, -logP=2.8) and rs6209043 (86.606 Mb, -logP=2.7), joined by an interval of weaker statistical association; these data confirm the presence of Papg1 on chromosome 4 and reduce the mapping region to two stretches of ~6.8 and ~4.2 Mb, in the proximal and distal peaks, respectively. The distal peak included Cdkn2a, a gene already proposed as being involved in Papg1 function. Other loci possibly modulating N2lung were detected on chromosomes 5, 8, 9, 11, 15, and 19, but analysis for linkage disequilibrium of these putative loci with Papg1 locus suggested that only those on chromosomes 11 and 15 were true positives.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that Papg1 consists, most likely, of two distinct, nearby loci, and point to putative additional loci on chromosomes 11 and 15 modulating lung tumor size. Within Papg1, Cdkn2a appears to be a strong candidate gene while additional Papg1 genes await to be identified. Greater knowledge of the genetic and biochemical mechanisms underlying the germ-line modulation of lung tumor size in mice is relevant to other species, including humans, in that it may help identify new therapeutic targets in the fight against tumor progression.

Identification of fat4 and tsc22d1 as novel candidate genes for spontaneous pulmonary adenomas

Genetic influences that underlie spontaneous lung oncogenesis are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to determine the genetic influences on spontaneous pulmonary adenoma frequency and severity in 28 strains of mice as part of a large-scale aging study conducted at the Jackson Aging Center (http://agingmice.jax.org/). Genome-wide association studies were conducted in these strains with both low-density (132,000) and high-density (4,000,000) panel of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP). Our analysis revealed that adenomas were relatively less frequent and less severe in females than males, and that loci implicated in frequency and severity were often different between male and female mice. While some of the significant loci identified mapped to genomic locations known to be responsible for carcinogen-induced cancers (e.g., Pas1), others were unique to our study. In particular, Fat4 was influential in males and Tsc22d1 was influential in females. SNPs implicated were predicted to alter amino acid sequence and change protein function. In summary, our results suggested that genetic influences that underlie pulmonary adenoma frequency are dependent on gender, and that Fat4 and Tsc22d1 are likely candidate genes to influence formation of spontaneous pulmonary adenoma in aging male and female mice, respectively.

Epistatic interactions govern chemically-induced lung tumor susceptibility and Kras mutation site in murine C57BL/6J-ChrA/J chromosome substitution strains

Cancer susceptibility results from interactions between sensitivity and resistance alleles. We employed murine chromosome substitution strains to study how resistance alleles affected sensitive alleles during chemically-induced lung carcinogenesis. The C57BL/6J-Chr#(A/J) strains, constructed by selectively breeding sensitive A/J and resistant C57BL/6J (B6) mice, each contain one pair of A/J chromosomes within an otherwise B6 genome. Pas1, the major locus responsible for this differential strain response to urethane carcinogenesis, resides on Chr 6, but C57BL/6J-Chr6(A/J) mice (hereafter CSS-6) developed few tumors following a single urethane injection, which demonstrates epistatic interactions with other B6 alleles. CSS6 mice developed dozens of lung tumors after chronic urethane exposure, however, indicating that these epistatic interactions could be overcome by repeated carcinogen administration. Unlike A/J, but similar to B6 mice, CSS6 mice were resistant to lung carcinogenesis induced by 3-methylcholanthrene (MCA). Tumor multiplicity increased if BHT administration followed urethane exposure, showing that a Chr 6 gene(s) regulates sensitivity to chemically-induced tumor promotion. Unlike A/J tumors (predominantly codon 61 A-->T transversions), Kras mutations in tumors induced by urethane in CSS-6 mice were similar to B6 tumors (codon 61 A-->G transitions). DNA repair genes not located on Chr 6 may determine the nature of Kras mutations. CSS-6 mice are a valuable resource for testing the ability of candidate genes to modulate lung carcinogenesis.

Identification of Las2, a major modifier gene affecting the Pas1 mouse lung tumor susceptibility locus

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Here, we describe a genome-wide association study of chemically induced lung tumorigenesis on 593 mice from 21 inbred strains using 115,904 genotyped and 1,952,918 imputed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Using a genetic background-controlled genome search, we identified a novel lung tumor susceptibility gene Las2 (Lung adenoma susceptibility 2) on distal chromosome 18. Las2 showed strong association with resistance to tumor induction (rs30245983; P = 1.87 x 10(-9)) as well as epistatic interactions (P = 1.71 x 10(-3)) with the pulmonary adenoma susceptibility 1 locus, a major locus affecting mouse lung tumor development (rs13459098, P = 5.64 x 10(-27)). Sequencing analysis revealed four nonsynonymous SNPs and two insertions/deletions in the susceptible allele of Las2, resulting in the loss of tumor suppressor activities in both cell colony formation and nude mouse tumorigenicity assays. Deletion of LAS2 was observed in approximately 40% of human lung adenocarcinomas, implying that loss of function of LAS2 may be a key step for lung tumorigenesis.

ANALYSIS OF THEPar2MODIFIER OF PULMONARY ADENOMA FORMATION IN MICE

Inbred strains of mouse show various susceptibilities to spontaneous and chemical-induced lung tumorigenesis. Genetic analyses have revealed that lung tumor susceptibilities of inbred mouse strains are governed by quantitative trait loci (QLTs) located on multiple chromosomes. A major lung tumor resistance QLT, designated pulmonary adenoma resistance 2 (Par2), was mapped to the mouse chromosome 18 independently by several groups and accounted for up to 60% phenotype variance between susceptible A/J and more resistant BALB/c strains. The authors recently conducted studies to positionally clone the Par2 gene. This review summarizes the effort and progress towards the identification of Par2 candidates.

Strain-dependent differences in susceptibility to lung cancer in inbred mice exposed to mainstream cigarette smoke

It is becoming increasingly clear that genetic susceptibility is an important host factor determining the effects of exposure to a number of airborne particles and gases. Although numerous studies have identified a genetic component for spontaneous pulmonary tumor development and for chemically induced lung cancer (e.g., urethane) in mice, a systematic examination of murine inter-strain differences in response to cigarette smoke inhalation has not been conducted. We addressed this research gap by examining the strain distribution pattern of lung cancer in nine inbred strains of mice exposed to 258 mg/m(3) mainstream cigarette smoke for 5 months followed by 4 months of rest. Lung tumors were enumerated on fixed lungs visualized at low magnification and on serial step sections examined microscopically. With the low magnification examination, we observed statistically significant increases in the number of lung tumors in cigarette smoke-exposed A/J and the genetically-related A/HeJ mice (p<0.05). While fewer tumors were identified by the microscopic enumeration method, it confirmed that significant increases in lung tumors occurred only in A/J and A/HeJ mice exposed to cigarette smoke (p<0.05). Thus, as predicted by epidemiologic studies and animal experiments using chemically induced lung cancer models, these findings suggest that genetic host factors play a significant role in the pulmonary tumorigenic response of mice to mainstream cigarette smoke.

Altered expression of splicing factor, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1, in mouse lung neoplasia

Our previous proteomic investigation of lung neoplasia in vitro demonstrated a high concentration of the lung cancer biomarker and splicing factor, hnRNP A2/B1, in the transformed mouse lung epithelial cell line, E9. Since changes in pre-mRNA splicing profoundly affect neoplastic progression, we examined hnRNP A2/B1 expression in chemically induced primary mouse lung tumors, an in vivo model of pulmonary adencocarcinoma. Tumor hnRNP A2/B1 content and spatial distribution assessed by immunohistochemistry varied with stage of progression, genetic background, and whether tumors were induced by a single agent (urethane) or by 2-stage initiation/promotion (3-methylcholanthrene/butylated hydroxytoluene) carcinogenesis. To address mechanisms governing hnRNP A2/B1 expression changes, we utilized in vitro models. hnRNP A2/B1 protein was overexpressed in E9, the spontaneous tranformant of immortalized but non-neoplastic E10 cells, but expression was not strictly a function of enhanced proliferative rate in neoplastic cells. Elevated mRNA content was positively associated with cell division in both E10 and E9, but hnRNP A2/B1 protein levels decreased in proliferating E10 cells. The increased mRNA reflected enhanced mRNA stability, as shown by measuring time-dependent mRNA decay after inhibiting transcription. Dysregulation of hnRNP A2/B1 expression during lung neoplasia in vivo thus depends on complex gene-environmental interactions that affect cell type-specific changes in mRNA processing and, most probably, the rates of translation and/or protein degradation.

Epithelial NF-kappaB activation promotes urethane-induced lung carcinogenesis

Chronic inflammation is linked to carcinogenesis in several organ systems. In the lungs, NF-kappaB, a central effector of inflammatory responses, is frequently activated in non-small-cell lung cancer, but its role in tumor promotion has not been studied. Several lines of evidence indicate that ethyl carbamate (urethane)-induced lung tumor formation, a prototypical mouse model of multistage lung carcinogenesis, is potentiated by inflammation. We found that mouse strains susceptible to lung tumor formation (FVB, BALB/c) exhibited early NF-kappaB activation and inflammation in the lungs after urethane treatment. However, a resistant strain (C57B6) failed to activate NF-kappaB or induce lung inflammation. In FVB mice, we identified urethane-induced NF-kappaB activation in airway epithelium, as well as type II alveolar epithelial cells and macrophages. Using an inducible transgenic mouse model (FVB strain) to express a dominant inhibitor of NF-kappaB specifically in airway epithelial cells, we found that urethane-induced lung inflammation was blocked and tumor formation was reduced by >50%. Selective NF-kappaB inhibition resulted in increased apoptosis of airway epithelial cells at 2 weeks after urethane treatment in association with a marked reduction of Bcl-2 expression. These studies indicate that NF-kappaB signaling in airway epithelium is integral to tumorigenesis in the urethane model and identify the NF-kappaB pathway as a potential target for chemoprevention of lung cancer.

Tumor signaling to the bone marrow changes the phenotype of monocytes and pulmonary macrophages during urethane-induced primary lung tumorigenesis in A/J mice

Little is known about how the composition of stromal cells within the lung cancer microenvironment varies during tumor progression. We examined by immunohistochemistry each of six different stromal cell populations during the development of chemically induced primary lung cancer in mice. Blood vessels were seen even in microscopic lesions, and their numbers increased with tumor size. Neutrophils infiltrated the alveoli of tumor-bearing lungs and within the periphery of macroscopic adenomas and adenocarcinomas. The numbers of peritumoral lymphocytes and macrophages increased during oncogeny, but quantitative changes in mast cells and fibroblasts were not evident. Because macrophage depletion reduces tumor growth and these cells are thus important to tumorigenesis, we also investigated their phenotype. Pulmonary macrophages expressed arginase I (subtype M2) but not inducible nitric-oxide synthase in lungs with premalignant lesions, whereas macrophages in carcinoma-bearing lungs expressed inducible nitric-oxide synthase (subtype M1) but not arginase I. Local pulmonary stimuli did not seem responsible for this shift in macrophage activation state because monocytes still residing within the bone marrow adopted these expression patterns before entering the circulation, presumably in response to tumor-derived signals. These biochemical markers of macrophage activation states would have diagnostic and/or therapeutic value if analogous systemic shifts occur in humans.

Candidate lung tumor susceptibility genes identified through whole-genome association analyses in inbred mice

We performed a whole-genome association analysis of lung tumor susceptibility using dense SNP maps ( approximately 1 SNP per 20 kb) in inbred mice. We reproduced the pulmonary adenoma susceptibility 1 (Pas1) locus identified in previous linkage studies and further narrowed this quantitative trait locus (QTL) to a region of less than 0.5 Mb in which at least two genes, Kras2 (Kirsten rat sarcoma oncogene 2) and Casc1 (cancer susceptibility candidate 1; also known as Las1), are strong candidates. Casc1 knockout mouse tumor bioassays showed that Casc1-deficient mice were susceptible to chemical induction of lung tumors. We also found three more genetic loci for lung adenoma development. Analysis of one of these candidate loci identified a previously uncharacterized gene Lasc1, bearing a nonsynonymous substitution (D102E). We found that the Lasc1 Glu102 allele preferentially promotes lung tumor cell growth. Our findings demonstrate the prospects for using dense SNP maps in laboratory mice to refine previous QTL regions and identify genetic determinants of complex traits.

Characterization of two protein-binding sites in the second intron of the mouse K-ras gene

A tandem repeat region in the second intron of the K-ras gene has been reported to be a possible regulatory site for transcription. In this study, a second protein-binding site was identified and characterized. It lies downstream (nucleotides 463 to 509) of the tandem repeat region. A T--> C base variation at nucleotide 494 was found in all K(S) strains (which have K-ras alleles identical to those of susceptible A/J strain) and all K(i) strains (which have K-ras alleles identical to those of the intermediate CBA/J strain). DNase I footprint analysis indicated a protein binding site within the downstream repeated region in the second intron of the K-ras gene. Gel mobility-shift studies showed differential protein-binding patterns between the K(r) strains (which have K-ras alleles identical to those of the resistant C3H/HeJ strain) and the K(s) or K(i) strains. Southwestern blot analysis of DNA-protein complexes indicated that the 2 repeated regions might bind the same regulatory complex.

Genetic linkage between Pol iota deficiency and increased susceptibility to lung tumors in mice

Pol iota is a member of the Y-family DNA polymerases, characterized by their capacity for translesion DNA synthesis and low fidelity base incorporation, and has therefore been assumed to play important roles in mutagenesis and carcinogenesis. In fact, the mouse Pol iota gene is located within the Par2 (pulmonary adenoma resistance 2) locus on distal chromosome 18, which we have identified as a major susceptibility locus regarding urethane induction of pulmonary adenomas. Indeed, Pol iota has been suggested to be a candidate for Par2 from both the genetic and biological standpoints. Taking advantage of 129X1/SvJ mice naturally deficient in Pol iota due to a nonsense mutation within the coding region of the gene, we here analyzed urethane-treated (A/J x 129X1/SvJ)F(1) x A/J backcross and (A/J x 129X1/SvJ)F(2) intercross mice and observed the defective 129X1/SvJ Pol iota allele to be genetically linked with an increased susceptibility to lung tumors relative to the A/J allele. Thus, among the already known mouse Pol iota alleles, the defective 129X1/SvJ allele is associated exclusively with the highest susceptibility to lung tumors. The result indicates a possibility that the Pol iota gene may participate in error-free repair of damaged DNA and prevention of lung tumor development.

Role of inflammation in mouse lung tumorigenesis: a review

Peritumoral and intratumoral macrophages are associated with human and mouse lung cancer The mouse model allows manipulation of the macrophage population to experimentally evaluate its contribution to tumor growth. Genetic and pharmacologic strategies also permit testing the invol vement of specific inflammatory mediators in tumor progression. Among those endogenous mediators thus identified are interleukin (IL)-10, glucocorticoids, prostacyclin, nitric oxide, and surfactant apoprotein D (SP-D); serum SP-D levels are a useful biomarker to monitor tumor growth rate. The importance of understanding the mutually antagonistic roles of individual prostaglandins downstream from cycloxygenase (COX) and how this affects the efficacy of COX-inhibitory drugs is discussed. Promising drug candidates include synthetic glucocorticoids such as budesonide and the sulfone derivative of sulindac, apotosyn.

Pas1c1 is a candidate for the mouse pulmonary adenoma susceptibility 1 locus

Pas1 candidate 1 (Pas1c1) gene (also named Lmna-rs1) was found to encode two alternatively spliced mRNA transcripts (i.e. Pas1c1-Va and Pas1c1-Vb). In this study, we identified three additional mRNA transcripts encoded by the Pas1c1 gene, which were designated as Pas1c1-Vc, Pas1c1-Vd, and Pas1c1-Ve, respectively. Similar to Pas1c1-Vb, the newly identified transcripts were only expressed in mouse lung tissues from strains carrying the Pas1-susceptible (Pas1/s) allele. Pas1c1 transcripts were also detected in heart, testis, or brain but not in liver, spleen, or kidney. An 11-nucleotide polymorphism was found within the 3'-acceptor splice site of exon 8, which cosegregates with mouse strain Pas1 alleles and may underlie the strain-specific exon 8 skipping. We also found that ectopic expression of the Pas1c1-Va and Pas1c1-Vb in COS7 and NIH3T3 cells exhibited distinct intracellular distributions. These results support that Pas1c1 as a candidate for the Pas1 locus and the strain-specific isoforms may have differential effects on cell proliferation.

Fine allelotyping ofErbb2-induced mammary tumors in mice reveals multiple discontinuous candidate regions of tumor-suppressor loci

Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at human chromosome bands 1p32-36 and 10q23-26 is frequent in various human tumors, including breast cancers, and is thought to reflect the loss of tumor-suppressor genes (TSGs). To map such genes, high-resolution LOH analysis was performed on 93 Erbb2-induced mammary tumors from (BALB/c x C57BL/6) F1 MMTV/Erbb2 transgenic mice. A panel of 24 microsatellite markers specific to the region of mouse chr4, homologous to human 1p31-36, and 16 markers specific to the mouse chr19 region, homologous to human 10q23-26 were used. In addition, lower-density mapping was performed on the remaining portion of mouse chr4 [homologous to human 9p13, 9p21-24, 9q21-22, 9q31-34 (12 markers)] and chr19 [homologous to 9q21, 9p24, 11q12-13 (9 markers)]. Several distinct, discrete, and discontinuous LOH regions flanked by areas of heterozygosity were identified, 22 on chr4 and 14 on chr19. Among these, 13 were mapped in the region of homology with human 1p31-36 (between D4Mit153 and D4Mit254) and 9 in the region of homology with human 10q23-26 (between D19Mit46 and D19Mit6). Although several LOH loci span a large interval, many are relatively short (1-4 Mb), and a few span an interval of <1 Mb. This allelotyping represents the highest density of LOH loci yet mapped in these chromosomal regions. The presence of numerous LOH regions in alternation with regions of heterozygosity, consistent with mitotic recombination as a mechanism for generating such a mosaic pattern, suggests the presence of several TSGs in these regions and should facilitate their identification.

Susceptibility to neoplastic and non-neoplastic pulmonary diseases in mice: genetic similarities

Chronic inflammation predisposes toward many types of cancer. Chronic bronchitis and asthma, for example, heighten the risk of lung cancer. Exactly which inflammatory mediators (e.g., oxidant species and growth factors) and lung wound repair processes (e.g., proangiogenic factors) enhance pulmonary neoplastic development is not clear. One approach to uncover the most relevant biochemical and physiological pathways is to identify genes underlying susceptibilities to inflammation and to cancer development at the same anatomic site. Mice develop lung adenocarcinomas similar in histology, molecular characteristics, and histogenesis to this most common human lung cancer subtype. Over two dozen loci, called Pas or pulmonary adenoma susceptibility, Par or pulmonary adenoma resistance, and Sluc or susceptibility to lung cancer genes, regulate differential lung tumor susceptibility among inbred mouse strains as assigned by QTL (quantitative trait locus) mapping. Chromosomal sites that determine responsiveness to proinflammatory pneumotoxicants such as ozone (O3), particulates, and hyperoxia have also been mapped in mice. For example, susceptibility QTLs have been identified on chromosomes 17 and 11 for O3-induced inflammation (Inf1, Inf2), O3-induced acute lung injury (Aliq3, Aliq1), and sulfate-associated particulates. Sites within the human and mouse genomes for asthma and COPD phenotypes have also been delineated. It is of great interest that several susceptibility loci for mouse lung neoplasia also contain susceptibility genes for toxicant-induced lung injury and inflammation and are homologous to several human asthma loci. These QTLs are described herein, candidate genes are suggested within these sites, and experimental evidence that inflammation enhances lung tumor development is provided.

Pas1 haplotype-dependent genetic predisposition to lung tumorigenesis in rodents: a meta-analysis

Rodent species and strains show wide variations in susceptibility to lung tumorigenesis. In mice, hierarchical clustering of 29 inbred laboratory strains by pulmonary adenoma susceptibility 1 (Pas1) locus polymorphisms separated the strains into either an A/J- or a C57BL/6J-type Pas1 haplotype. A pooled analysis (including >8500 mice) of studies on spontaneous and chemically induced lung tumorigenesis in these strains revealed a significantly higher risk of spontaneous lung tumors [odds ratio (OR) 12.17; 95% confidence interval (CI) 9.00-16.45] as well as of chemically induced lung tumors (OR 15.14; 95% CI 12.51-18.31) in the A/J-type haplotype. Strain differences were observed with six different carcinogens, suggesting that Pas1 locus activity is carcinogen-independent. Thus, the present meta-analysis indicates a link between the genetic control of spontaneous and chemically induced lung tumor susceptibility in mice. The Pas1 susceptibility allele is frequent in the population of inbred mouse strains, whereas a counterpart appears to be absent or rare in rat and hamster strains. These findings might help in the interpretation of results of rodent carcinogenicity bioassays and assessing the risk of lung carcinogenesis from chemicals.

Haplotype sharing suggests that a genomic segment containing six genes accounts for the pulmonary adenoma susceptibility 1 (Pas1) locus activity in mice

The pulmonary adenoma susceptibility 1 (Pas1) locus affects inherited predisposition and resistance to chemically induced lung tumorigenesis in mice. The A/J and C57BL/6J mouse strains carry the susceptibility and resistance allele, respectively. We identified and genotyped 65 polymorphisms in the Pas1 locus region in 29 mouse inbred strains, and delimited the Pas1 locus to a minimal region of 468 kb containing six genes. That region defined a core Pas1 haplotype with 42 tightly linked markers, including intragenic polymorphisms in five genes (Bcat1, Lrmp, Las1, Ghiso, and Kras2) and amino-acid changes in three genes (Lrmp, Las1, Lmna-rs1). In (A/J x C57BL/6J)F1 mouse lung tumors, the Lmna-rs1 gene was completely downregulated, whereas allele-specific downregulation of the C57BL/6J-derived allele was observed at the Las1 gene, suggesting the potential role of these genes in tumor suppression. These results indicate a complex multigenic nature of the Pas1 locus, and point to a functional role for both intronic and exonic polymorphisms of the six genes of the Pas1 haplotype in lung tumor susceptibility.

Positional cloning of the major quantitative trait locus underlying lung tumor susceptibility in mice

Pulmonary adenoma susceptibility 1 (Pas1), located on chromosome 6, is the major locus affecting inherited predisposition to lung tumor development in mice. We have fine mapped the Pas1 locus to a region of approximately 0.5 megabases by using congenic strains of mice, constructed by placing the Pas1 region of chromosome 6 from A/J mice onto the genetic background of C57BL/6J mice. Systematic characterization of Pas1 candidates establishes the Las1 (lung adenoma susceptibility 1) and Kras2 (Kirsten rat sarcoma oncogene 2) genes as primary candidates for the Pas1 locus. Clearly, Kras2 affects lung tumor progression only, and Las1 is likely to affect lung tumor multiplicity.

Tnfa and Il-10 deficiencies have contrasting effects on lung tumor susceptibility: gender-dependent modulation of IL-10 haploinsufficiency

Epidemiologic evidence suggests that pulmonary diseases with a prominent chronic inflammatory component elevate lung cancer risk. Genetic manipulations of mouse models of lung inflammation and tumorigenesis can be used to investigate this association. The genes encoding pro-inflammatory tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) and antiinflammatory IL-10 cytokines map within quantitative trait loci that regulate susceptibility to lung tumor development in mice; sensitive A/J and resistant C57BL/6J (B6) mice have different Tnfa and Il-10 alleles. Genetic ablation studies were performed to examine whether these genes would qualify as candidate tumor modifiers. Tnfa null (-/-) mice on a B6 background and B6.129 Il-10(-/-) mice were intercrossed with A/J mice and subjected to urethane carcinogenesis; lung tumor multiplicity was determined 20 weeks later. In the absence of one copy of Tnfa, tumor number. Male Il-10(+/+) mice developed more tumors than did female mice (P < 0.001), absence of one copy of Il-10 raised tumor number in female mice to that observed in +/+ males, but no change in multiplicity occurred in Il-10 hemizygous males. Thus, a deficit of pro-inflammatory TNFalpha decreased the number of tumors, whereas diminished gene copy number of anti-inflammatory IL-10 increased tumorigenesis; manifestation of an effect of Il-10 haploinsufficiency is gender dependent. These studies support a role for inflammation in lung cancer susceptibility.

Understanding the human condition: experimental strategies in mammalian genetics

Mice have become the mammalian model of choice for the application of genetics in biomedical research due to the evolutionary conservation of physiological systems and their attendant pathologies among all mammals as well as the exceptional power of genetic research technologies in the species. Beginning from aberrant phenotypes, a large number of mouse mutants and natural polymorphisms have been cloned, providing much information about the molecular basis of physiological processes. Additionally, the variable expression of these mutations in different inbred strain backgrounds has demonstrated the importance of modifier genes, which are also susceptible to cloning. Research efforts are keeping pace with these developments. In the area of gene discovery, large, government-funded mutagenesis programs now exist, and as a matter of great practical importance, recent evidence suggests that the same genes may be involved in the natural polymorphisms affecting disease in mice and humans. In parallel, dramatic advances are also being made in our ability to measure physiological processes in mice, and the advent of expression profiling promises revolutionary advances in understanding phenotype at the molecular level. Gene-driven approaches have relied on engineering the mouse genome, including adding, subtracting, and replacing genes and, most recently, the ability to control gene activity reversibly. Together, these multiple advances in our technical abilities have created extraordinary opportunities for future discovery.

Analysis of lung tumorigenesis in chimeric mice indicates the Pulmonary adenoma resistance 2 (Par2) locus to operate in the tumor-initiation stage in a cell-autonomous manner: detection of polymorphisms in the Poli gene as a candidate for Par2

The Pulmonary adenoma resistance 2 (Par2) locus of the BALB/cByJ mouse, located within 0.5 cM of chromosome 18, is responsible for reducing the mean multiplicity of urethane-induced lung tumors relative to those in C57BL/6J, A/J and C3H/HeJ mice. Thus, BALB/B6-Par2 congenic strain genetically identical to BALB/cByJ except carrying C57BL/6J Par2 alleles develops seven times more tumors than BALB/cByJ. To gain clues for identification of Par2 candidate genes, we analysed lung tumorigenesis in BALB/cByJ<-->BALB.B6-Par2 chimeric animals. Of 100 tumors induced by urethane in 16 chimeras, 82 originated from BALB.B6-Par2 cells, indicating the Par2 phenotype to be cell-autonomous. In addition, the BALB.B6-Par2- and BALB/cByJ-derived tumors were similar in mean size, implying that the phenotype is primarily expressed during initiation rather than in the promotion stage of carcinogenesis. Given these results, we surveyed a comprehensive mouse genome database and physically mapped Par2 within a 2.3 Mbp segment containing three known genes, Poli, Mbd2 and Dcc. Among those, the Poli seemed to be the most reasonable Par2 candidate, since it encodes an extremely error-prone DNA polymerase preferentially incorporating G or T opposite template T in vitro, reminiscent of the Kras2 activation because of an A to G or T point mutation within codon 61 with which most urethane-induced lung tumors are initiated. Indeed, our sequencing of Poli cDNAs from BALB/cByJ, C57BL/6J, A/J and C3H/HeJ lungs revealed 21 BALB/cByJ-specific single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the coding region accompanied by seven amino-acid substitutions and an elevated frequency of alternative splicing, while no polymorphisms associated with tumor susceptibility were found for either Mbd2 or Dcc. Notably, we obtained evidence that BALB/cByJ Par2 alleles may selectively decrease the frequency of Kras2-mutated tumors compared with C57BL/6J alleles. Consequently, the Poli is an intriguing Par2 candidate clearly deserving further evaluation.

Loss of heterozygosity analysis of mouse pulmonary adenomas induced by coal tar

Manufactured gas plant (MGP) residues, commonly known as coal tars, were generated several decades ago as a byproduct of residential and industrial gas production from the distillation of coal. Previous short-term exposure studies have shown MGP residues to be tumorigenic in mouse liver and lung. In order to gain further insight into carcinogenesis by complex mixtures of environmental chemicals containing known carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, we investigated mouse pulmonary tumors for loss of heterozygosity (LOH) as a result of multiple exposure to MGP residues. Twenty mouse lung adenomas produced in (C57BL/6 x C3H)F1 hybrid mice and manually microdissected were selected to examine genome-wide allelic losses at 58 microsatellite loci. Regions of chromosomes 1, 4, 5, 8, and 11 were affected in 30-40% of tumors. The elevated rates of allelic imbalance in these chromosomes may indicate the location of unknown tumor suppressor genes significant to neoplastic transformation in mouse lung tissues. Laser capture microdissection-based LOH analysis of pulmonary adenomas showed that contamination of nonneoplastic tissues was not masking the allelic losses in the manually microdissected tumor analysis. The low frequency of chromosome instability in these tumors, measured by means of inter-simple sequence repeat PCR, suggests the presence of discrete regions of LOH instead of extensive structural rearrangements.

Use of factorial designs to optimize animal experiments and reduce animal use

Optimization of experiments, such as those used in drug discovery, can lead to useful savings of scientific resources. Factors such as sex, strain, and age of the animals and protocol-specific factors such as timing and methods of administering treatments can have an important influence on the response of animals to experimental treatments. Factorial experimental designs can be used to explore which factors and what levels of these factors will maximize the difference between a vehicle control and a known positive control treatment. This information can then be used to design more efficient experiments, either by reducing the numbers of animals used or by increasing the sensitivity so that smaller biological effects can be detected. A factorial experimental design approach is more effective and efficient than the older approach of varying one factor at a time. Two examples of real factorial experiments reveal how using this approach can potentially lead to a reduction in animal use and savings in financial and scientific resources without loss of scientific validity.

Linkage disequilibrium mapping of novel lung tumor susceptibility quantitative trait loci in mice

Linkage disequilibrium (LD) has been used to map chromosomal regions regulating quantitative traits, also called quantitative trait loci (QTLs). With the increasing number of available mouse polymorphic genetic markers, LD can be estimated for the purpose of fine-mapping a given QTL or in the identification of novel QTLs. A whole-genome LD analysis was conducted for mapping mouse lung tumor susceptibility QTLs in 25 strains of mice with known susceptibility to lung cancer using 5638 genetic markers. A total of 63 markers were found to be significantly associated with lung tumor susceptibility, many of which were novel QTLs. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using LD to map QTLs on a whole genome level. Further characterization of the newly identified lung tumor susceptibility QTLs may lead to the identification of genes whose human homologue may predispose some individuals to lung cancer.

Identification of candidate lung cancer susceptibility genes in mouse using oligonucleotide arrays

We applied microarray gene expression profiling to lungs from mouse strains having variable susceptibility to lung tumour development as a means to identify, within known quantitative trait loci (QTLs), candidate genes responsible for susceptibility or resistance to lung cancer. At least eight chromosomal regions of mice have been mapped and verified to be linked with lung tumour susceptibility or resistance. In this study, high density oligonucleotide arrays were used to measure the relative expression levels of >36 000 genes and ESTs in lung tissues of A/J, BALB/cJ, SM/J, C3H/HeJ, and C57BL/6J mice. A number of differentially expressed genes were found in each of the lung cancer susceptibility QTLs. Bioinformatic analysis of the differentially expressed genes located within QTLs produced 28 susceptibility candidates and 22 resistance candidates. These candidates may be extremely helpful in the ultimate identification of the precise genes responsible for lung tumour susceptibility or resistance in mice and, through follow up, humans. Complete data sets are available at http://thinker.med.ohio-state.edu.

Cancer modifier alleles inhibiting lung tumorigenesis are common in inbred mouse strains

Lung tumor susceptibility in inbred mouse strains is caused by the susceptibility allele at the pulmonary adenoma susceptibility 1 (Pas1(s)) locus. However, after urethane treatment, most strains carrying the Pas1(s) allele show an intermediate (1-4 tumors/mouse) instead of a highly susceptible (15-30 tumors/mouse) lung tumor phenotype. To test the hypothesis that strains displaying the intermediate lung tumor phenotype carry dominant or codominant resistance alleles at pulmonary adenoma resistance (Par) loci, we crossed mice of intermediate susceptibility or resistance to lung tumorigenesis with the highly susceptible A/J strain. Eleven F(1) hybrids were treated with urethane to induce lung tumorigenesis. The A/J strain developed 35.3 tumors/mouse, while its F(1) hybrid with C57BL/6J mice (null allele at Par loci) developed 22.8 tumors/mouse due to the Pas1 allele dosage effect. F(1) hybrids of strains 129/SvJ, CBA/J, ST/J and LP/J (Pas1(s)) and of SPW, DBA/2J and C57L/J (Pas1(r)) mice showed significant reduction in lung tumor multiplicity (i.e., 0.3-12.8 tumors/mouse) compared to A/J and (A/J x C57BL/6J)F(1) mice. These results indicate that resistance alleles at Par loci are common in inbred mouse strains and account for the lung tumorigenesis intermediate phenotype of strains carrying the Pas1(s) allele.

Quantitative trait locus mapping of susceptibilities to butylated hydroxytoluene-induced lung tumor promotion and pulmonary inflammation in CXB mice

We have reported previously [Bauer,A.K. et al. (2001) Exp. Lung Res., 27, 197-216] that the 13 CXB recombinant inbred mouse strains derived from BALB/cByJ and C57BL/6J progenitors vary in their responsiveness to both lung tumor promotion and pulmonary inflammation induced by chronic administration of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Herein we have applied these data, along with markers known to be polymorphic among these strains, to conduct linkage analysis of these susceptibilities. This enabled us to assign provisional quantitative trait loci (QTL) that govern these strain variations in susceptibility as a genetic approach to assessing the influence of inflammation on tumorigenesis. A Chr 15 (39.1-55.6 cM) QTL regulated susceptibility to two-stage carcinogenesis, a protocol in which chronic BHT exposure followed a single urethane injection; a similar QTL on Chr 15 (46.7-61.7 cM) influenced BHT induction of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression. A Chr 18 (37-41 cM) QTL modulated both the number of lung tumors induced by 3-methylcholanthrene (MCA) injection with subsequent treatment with BHT as well as BHT-induced ingress of macrophages into airways. Other chromosomal sites that affected either the degree of BHT-elicited macrophage infiltration, Chr 9 (48-61 cM), or COX-2 induction, Chr 10 (59-65 cM), were reported to influence susceptibility to lung tumorigenesis in other strains. The fact that common chromosomal locations regulate both inflammation and carcinogenesis suggests a pathogenic role of inflammatory mediators in tumor development that may be exploited for chemoprevention of lung cancer.

Inhibition of both skin and lung tumorigenesis by Car-R mouse-derived cancer modifier loci

The Car-R outbred mouse line was phenotypically selected for high resistance to two-stage skin tumorigenesis. In the present study we tested the hypothesis that a subset of genetic loci responsible for resistance to skin tumorigenesis of Car-R mice might also inhibit lung tumorigenesis. Skin and lung tumorigenesis were induced in groups of Car-R, SWR/J, (SWR/JxCar-R)F1 and SWR/Jx(SWR/JxCar-R) backcross mice by i.p. urethane initiation and skin TPA promotion. Car-R mice showed a much lower susceptibility to both skin and lung tumorigenesis as compared to SWR/J mice, which are susceptible to both lung and skin tumorigenesis. The Car-R-inherited genome significantly inhibited both skin and lung cancer development in the F1 progeny of Car-R with SWR/J mice. In the backcross population, skin and lung tumor phenotypes showed a statistically significant correlation, indicating that a subset of the cancer resistance alleles, which segregated in the Car-R line during selection for resistance to skin carcinogenesis, provides resistance to both skin and lung tumorigenesis.

Confirmation of the mapping of a 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate promotion susceptibility locus, Psl1, to distal mouse chromosome 9

Susceptibility to two-stage skin carcinogenesis in the mouse is affected by several genes. In addition, studies suggest that genes that modify the response of mice to skin tumor promotion by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) also may influence histologic changes in the skin as the result of TPA treatment. One TPA susceptibility locus, Psl1, previously was mapped to distal chromosome 9. The mapping of this locus was confirmed by marker-based genotypic selection. Furthermore, Psl1 or a gene closely linked to Psl1 influenced epidermal hyperplasia and epidermal labeling index of mice treated with TPA.

Complexity of lung cancer modifiers: mapping of thirty genes and twenty-five interactions in half of the mouse genome

BACKGROUND

Numerous low-penetrance genes control susceptibility to cancer in experimental animals, but the overall genetic information on this group of genes (i.e., number of loci and their mutual interactions) is missing. We performed a systematic search, scanning roughly half of the mouse genome for lung cancer susceptibility (Sluc) genes affecting tumor size or number by using mouse recombinant congenic (RC) strains. In each RC strain (OcB), approximately 12.5% of the genome is derived from the lung cancer-resistant strain B10.O20, whereas the rest is derived from the lung cancer-susceptible strain O20.

METHODS

A total of 730 F2 hybrids from five (OcB x O20) crosses were tested. Pregnant mice were treated on day 18 of gestation with a single dose of N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea. When offspring were 16 weeks old, whole lungs were removed and sectioned semiserially, and the size of all lung tumors (n = 2658) was determined. Analysis of variance was used for detection of linkage, and models (including main effect and two-way interactions) were tested with a statistical program.

RESULTS

We detected a total of 30 Sluc loci (16 new plus 14 previously reported) and 25 two-way interactions. Some of these interactions are counteracting (e.g., Sluc17 and Sluc20), resulting in the partial or total masking of the individual independent effect (main effect) of each involved locus. Seven loci (Sluc1, Sluc5, Sluc12, Sluc16, Sluc18, Sluc20, and Sluc26) and two interactions (Sluc5 x Sluc12 and Sluc5 x Sluc26) were detected in more than one RC strain.

CONCLUSIONS

The extrapolation of our results to the whole genome suggests approximately 60 Sluc loci (90% confidence intervals = 42 to 78). Despite the genetic complexity of lung cancer, use of appropriate mapping strategies can identify a large number of responsible loci and can reveal their interactions. This study provides an insight into the genetic control of lung tumorigenesis and may serve as a paradigm for investigating the genetics of other cancer types.

Fine chromosomal localization of the mouse Par2 gene that confers resistance against urethane-induction of pulmonary adenomas

BALB/cByJ mice are 14 times more resistant to urethane-induction of pulmonary adenomas than the susceptible A/J strain. Our previous linkage analysis of (A/J x BALB/cByJ)F1 x A/J backcross mice provided statistical evidence that a major resistance locus of BALB/cByJ with a dominant effect, designated Par2 (Pulmonary adenoma resistance 2), exists within an approximately 25 cM section of distal chromosome 18. To facilitate molecular identification of the Par2 locus, the present study was conducted to finely localize its chromosomal position utilizing Par2-congenic mice. Male BALB/cByJ mice were mated with female C57BL/6J mice carrying recessive Par2 alleles and their male F1 progeny were backcrossed to female BALB/cByJ mice. A male backcross mouse heterozygous within the Par2 interval of 25 cM was randomly selected and again backcrossed to female BALB/cByJ mice. This backcross-selection cycle was simply repeated to produce semi-congenic mice with a general BALB/cByJ genetic background except for the Par2 interval, where the mice were heterozygous with paternal C57BL/6J alleles and maternal BALB/cByJ alleles. After the 6th or 7th backcross, nine male mice possessing a recombination within the paternal Par2 interval were retained and crossed to female A/J mice. Resultant progeny were treated with urethane and examined for lung tumor development in order to deduce the Par2 genotypes of the recombinants through linkage analysis. By comparing the deduced Par2 genotype of each recombinant with its recombinational breakpoint, the Par2 locus was confined to an approximately 0.5 cM region flanked by D18Mit103 and D18Mit188 loci. Our results indicate that fully congenic mice conventionally established by at least nine simple backcrosses or by the speed congenic method are not necessarily required for fine mapping of quantitative trait loci. In the case of the Par2 locus, we found that semi-congenic mice after as few as four simple backcrosses were useful for this purpose. The map information obtained in this study should enable subsequent positional cloning of the Par2 gene.

Experimental approaches to the determination of genetic variability

Toxicology is concerned with the interaction between xenobiotics and biological molecules directly or indirectly coded in the DNA, and can be regarded as a branch of genetics. There is genetic variation in these interactions, which has important implications for risk assessment and because it can be used as a tool in studying toxic mechanisms. The genetics of susceptibility can be studied by forward or reverse genetics. Forward genetics involves working from an observed phenotype such as susceptibility to a particular xenobiotic and identifying the susceptibility genes. Often, this involves mapping and identifying quantitative trait loci, as most toxic responses have a polygenic mode of inheritance. The use of inbred strains is almost essential. Reverse genetics involves starting with a known genetic polymorphism and determining its effects on the response to xenobiotics. Studies of 'knockout' animals are a good example, although there are many naturally occurring polymorphisms that may affect toxic responses. In both cases, care has to be taken to ensure that the genetic background is carefully controlled in any comparison between animals thought to be carrying susceptible and resistant alleles.

Enhanced tumorigenesis and reduced transforming growth factor-beta type II receptor in lung tumors from mice with reduced gene dosage of transforming growth factor-beta1

To elucidate the role of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and the TGF-beta type II receptor (TGF-beta RII) as tumor-suppressor genes in lung carcinogenesis, we mated C57BL/6 mice heterozygous (HT) for deletion of the TGF-beta1 gene with A/J mice to produce AJBL6 TGF-beta1 HT progeny and their wild-type (WT) littermates. Immunohistochemical staining, in situ hybridization, and northern blot analyses showed lower staining and hybridization for TGF-beta1 protein and mRNA, respectively, in the lungs of normal HT mice versus WT mice. Competitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (CRT-PCR) amplification showed the level of TGF-beta1 mRNA in the lungs of HT mice to be fourfold lower than the level in WT lung. When challenged with ethyl carbamate, lung adenomas were detected in 55% of HT mice by 4 mo but only in 25% of WT littermates at this time. Whereas all HT mice had adenomas by 6 mo, it was not until 10 mo before all WT mice had adenomas. After 12 mo, the average number of adenomas was fivefold higher in HT lungs than in WT lungs. Most dramatic was the appearance of lung carcinomas in HT mice 8 mo before they were visible in WT mice. Thus, the AJBL6 TGF-beta1 HT mouse provides an excellent model system to examine carcinogen-induced lung tumorigenesis by increasing progressive lesion incidence and multiplicity relative to their WT littermates. Immunohistochemical staining showed expression of the TGF-beta type I receptor (TGF-beta RI) at moderate to strong levels in lung adenomas and carcinomas in HT and WT mice. In contrast, whereas weak immunostaining for TGF-beta RII was detected in 67% of HT carcinomas at 12 mo, only 22% of WT carcinomas showed weak staining for this protein. Individual lung carcinomas showing reduced TGF-beta RII expression and adjacent normal bronchioles were excised from HT lungs using laser capture microdissection, and CRT-PCR amplification of the extracted RNA showed 12-fold less TGF-beta RII mRNA in these carcinomas compared with bronchioles. Decreasing TGF-beta RII mRNA levels occurred with increasing tumorigenesis in lung hyperplasias, adenomas, and carcinomas, with carcinomas having fourfold and sevenfold lower levels of TGF-beta RII mRNA than adenomas and hyperplasias, respectively. These data show enhanced ethyl carbamate-induced lung tumorigenesis in AJBL6 HT mice compared with WT mice, suggesting that both TGF-beta1 alleles are necessary for tumor-suppressor activity. Reduction of TGF-beta RII mRNA expression in progressive stages of lung tumorigenesis in HT mice suggests that loss of TGF-beta RII may play an important role in the promotion of lung carcinogenesis in mice with reduced TGF-beta1 gene dosage when challenged with carcinogen.

Modeling human lung cancer in mice: similarities and shortcomings

Lung cancer kills more Americans yearly than any other neoplastic process. Mortality rates have changed little over the past several decades, despite improvements in surgical techniques, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The identification of mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes in human lung tumor specimens, including K-ras, p53, p16INK4a and Rb, offers molecular explanations for tumor development and resistance to therapy. Mouse models of human lung cancer may advance our understanding of this disease. The examination of mice which develop lung cancer either spontaneously or due to carcinogen exposure, and the creation of mouse strains harboring the specific genetic mutations found in human lung cancer are among strategies being pursued.

Linkage Disequilibrium and Physical Mapping of Pas1 in Mice

By using linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis in 21 strains of known susceptibility to lung cancer and by assembling a YAC contig, we mapped to a ∼1.5-Mb region on distal mouse chromosome 6 the Pas1locus, the major determinant of lung cancer predisposition in mice. Our results, on the basis of haplotype and phenetic analysis, suggest that the Pas1s susceptibility allele is shared by several mouse-inbred strains of independent origin, which show either high or intermediate predisposition to lung tumorigenesis. Therefore, the Pas1s allele is probably derived from an ancestral mouse rather than from independent mutations of the same gene. We showed the feasibility of LD in common inbred strains for the fine mapping of disease loci, and provided the biological basis and the reagents for the cloning of the Pas1 gene.

Genetic mapping of cancer susceptibility/resistance loci in the mouse

Genetic linkage experiments using crosses between mouse inbred strains with an inherited predisposition and resistance to lung cancer make it possible to investigate the genetics of the complex inheritance of susceptibility and resistance to lung cancer. We have previously mapped a major locus (pulmonary adenoma susceptibility 1, Pas1) affecting inherited predisposition to lung cancer in mice onto chromosome 6, near Kras2. Appropriate crosses that include Pas1/+ mice provide a model system for identifying loci that can modify the lung cancer predisposition phenotype caused by Pas1. Using this approach, we mapped the pulmonary adenoma resistance 1 (Par1) locus on to mouse chromosome 11; this locus selectively inhibits lung tumor development in Pas1/+ animals and therefore behaves like a modulator gene of Pas1. More recently, we have mapped lung tumor modifier loci specifically affecting the initiation and progression of lung cancer. Thus experimental models provide an essential tool for the mapping of lung cancer susceptibility/resistance genes and for the subsequent cloning of candidate genes.

Genetic dissection of murine susceptibilities to liver and lung tumors based on the two-stage concept of carcinogenesis

Inbred mouse strains exhibit strain-specific susceptibilities to spontaneous and induced tumors, indicating that the individual risks for neoplastic development are largely under genetic control. Recent advances in linkage analysis have made it routine to chromosomally map the mouse genes responsible for the strain variations in tumor susceptibility using segregating crosses. It is also possible to characterize their biological functions using the positional information. These types of studies are still severely hampered for human cases due to the remarkable genetic heterogeneity and impossibility of experimental crosses. In this article, previous work on genetic susceptibility to mouse liver and lung tumors is reviewed in view of the classical two-stage concept of carcinogenesis. According to this central concept, the tumor susceptibility genes should affect either the first stage, 'initiation', or the second stage, 'promotion', or both. At least some genes seem to be specifically involved in initiation or promotion, in line with the fact that initiation and promotion are due, to a certain extent, to independent mechanisms. This notion should be also applicable to human carcinogenesis and may provide important clues for prevention of initiation and promotion in populations with a genetic predisposition for cancer development.

At least four loci and gender are associated with susceptibility to the chemical induction of lung adenomas in A/J x BALB/c mice

Four putative quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that influence susceptibility to the induction of lung adenomas by urethane in an F2 cross between A/J and BALB/cOlaHsd have been mapped. Following microsatellite typing of mice with resistant and susceptible phenotypes at 97 microsatellite marker loci, a major locus was identified on chromosome 18 with a lod score of 15. This was responsible for an 8- to 10-fold increase in tumor multiplicity in males and females, respectively, having the AA and CC genotypes at the D18Mit188 marker locus. It mapped close to Dcc (deleted in colorectal cancer). A locus on chromosome 4 (lod score 6.5) had the resistant allele in strain A/J and the susceptible allele in BALB/c, with a 14-fold difference in tumor multiplicity between mice of the AA and CC genotypes. This mapped close to the Cdkn2a (cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A) locus, which is commonly deleted in mouse lung tumors. Two loci with smaller effects (lod scores 3.03 and 3.25) were identified on chromosomes 1 and 11. There was also significant sexual dimorphism in tumor multiplicity both among 151 F2 hybrids and among 52 mice resulting from a backcross to strain A/J, with males having higher tumor counts than females.