Impact of RXRalpha Deficiency on Liver Cancer Genes in Mice
Author Information
Author(s): Guo Minglei, Gong Lei, He Lin, Lehman-McKeeman Lois, Wan Yu-Jui Yvonne
Primary Institution: University of Kansas Medical Center
Hypothesis
Aberrant hepatocyte RXRα signaling might have complex repercussions on cell biological activities and contribute to the risk of liver carcinogenesis in an age and gender dependent manner.
Conclusion
RXRα deficiency leads to significant changes in cancer-related gene expression that vary by gender and age, potentially increasing liver cancer risk.
Supporting Evidence
- In 6 month old mice, male mutant mice showed more cancer-related genes with alteration in mRNA levels than females did (195 vs. 60).
- In aged mice (24 month), female mutant mice showed greater deviation in mRNA expression levels of cancer-related genes than their male counterparts (149 vs. 82).
- The genes were classified into five categories according to their role in carcinogenesis: apoptosis, metastasis, cell growth, stress, and immune response.
Takeaway
This study found that a specific gene deficiency in mice affects how their bodies respond to cancer, and this effect is different for boys and girls and changes as they get older.
Methodology
Microarray analyses were performed on liver samples from 6 and 24 month old male and female wild type and RXRα-deficient mice.
Limitations
The role of the identified genes in actual liver cancer models remains to be characterized.
Participant Demographics
C57BL/6J wild type and RXRα knock out mice, both male and female, aged 6 and 24 months.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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