Synergistic effects of Pten loss and WNT/CTNNB1 signaling pathway activation in ovarian granulosa cell tumor development and progression

Carcinogenesis. 2008 Nov;29(11):2062-72. doi: 10.1093/carcin/bgn186. Epub 2008 Aug 6.

Abstract

The mechanisms of granulosa cell tumor (GCT) development may involve the dysregulation of signaling pathways downstream of follicle-stimulating hormone, including the phosphoinosite-3 kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway. To test this hypothesis, a genetically engineered mouse model was created to derepress the PI3K/AKT pathway in granulosa cells by conditional targeting of the PI3K antagonist gene Pten (Pten(flox/flox);Amhr2(cre/+)). The majority of Pten(flox/flox);Amhr2(cre/+) mice featured no ovarian anomalies, but occasionally ( approximately 7%) developed aggressive, anaplastic GCT with pulmonary metastases. The expression of the PI3K/AKT downstream effector FOXO1 was abrogated in Pten(flox/flox);Amhr2(cre/+) GCT, indicating a mechanism by which GCT cells may increase proliferation and evade apoptosis. To relate these findings to spontaneously occurring GCT, analyses of PTEN and phospho-AKT expression were performed on human and equine tumors. Although PTEN loss was not detected, many GCT (2/5 human, 7/17 equine) featured abnormal nuclear or perinuclear localization of phospho-AKT, suggestive of altered PI3K/AKT activity. As inappropriate activation of WNT/CTNNB1 signaling causes late-onset GCT development and cross talk between the PI3K/AKT and WNT/CTNNB1 pathways has been reported, we tested whether these pathways could synergize in GCT. Activation of both the PI3K/AKT and WNT/CTNNB1 pathways in the granulosa cells of a mouse model (Pten(flox/flox);Ctnnb1(flox(ex3)/+);Amhr2(cre/+)) resulted in the development of GCT similar to those observed in Pten(flox/flox);Amhr2(cre/+) mice, but with 100% penetrance, perinatal onset, extremely rapid growth and the ability to spread by seeding into the abdominal cavity. These data indicate a synergistic effect of dysregulated PI3K/AKT and WNT/CTNNB1 signaling in the development and progression of GCT and provide the first animal models for metastatic GCT.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • DNA Primers
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Granulosa Cell Tumor / metabolism*
  • Granulosa Cell Tumor / pathology
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Mice
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase / genetics*
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Subcellular Fractions / enzymology
  • Subcellular Fractions / metabolism
  • Wnt Proteins / metabolism*
  • beta Catenin / metabolism*

Substances

  • CTNNB1 protein, human
  • DNA Primers
  • Wnt Proteins
  • beta Catenin
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase
  • Pten protein, mouse