Genes Chromosomes Cancer  2002 May;34(1):9-16 

APC/CTNNB1 (beta-catenin) pathway alterations in human prostate cancers.

Gerstein AV, Almeida TA, Zhao G, Chess E, Shih IeM, Buhler K, Pienta K, Rubin
MA, Vessella R, Papadopoulos N.

Department of Pathology, Institute of Cancer Genetics, Columbia University, New
York, New York, USA.

Genetic alterations serve as beacons for the involvement of specific pathways in
tumorigenesis. It was previously shown that 5% of prostate tumors harbor CTNNB1
mutations, suggesting that this tumor type may involve a deregulated APC/CTNNB1
pathway. To explore this possibility further, we searched for mutations in genes
implicated in this pathway in 22 samples that included cell lines, xenografts,
and primary tumors. We identified seven alterations: two in CTNNB1, three in
APC, and two in hTRCP1 (also known as BTRC) which controls the degradation of
CTNNB1. Alterations in the CTNNB1 regulatory domain, APC, and hTRCP1 were
mutually exclusive, consistent with their equivalent effects on CTNNB1
stability. These results suggest that CTNNB1 signaling plays a critical role in
the development of a significant fraction of prostate cancers. Moreover, they
provide the first evidence that hTRCP1 plays a role in human neoplasia.
Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

PMID: 11921277 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]