Haematologica Reports 2005; 1(issue 9): 24[prev][index][next]
The met oncogene drives a genetic program linking cancer
to hemostasis
Boccaccio C, Comoglio PM
Division of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Cancer Research and
Treatment, University of Turin Medical School Candiolo, Torino,
Italy
To study the early events of transformation in a setting that
recapitulates the natural occurrence of sporadic cancer, it would
be ideal to develop a model that initiates from single somatic
cells harbouring mutations of one or more cancer-related genes, but
intermingled with their normal tissue context. We have set up a
mouse model of somatic oncogene delivery, relying on the unique
properties of late-generation lentiviral vectors1 (LV).
LV enable oncogene targeting by non-viral promoters in post-natal
life, and transformation of somatic cells that remain functionally
interlocked within the normal tissue. Through LV, we targeted the
activated MET oncogene to the mouse liver. We detected development
of foci of hepatocyte clonal expansion, which slowly progressed
towards malignancy. [>Read full article in
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