Myogenesis in Wilms' Tumors Is Associated with Mutations of the WT1 Gene and Activation of Bcl-2 and the Wnt Signaling Pathway.

Autor: Fukuzawa, Ryuji, Heathcott, Rosemary W., Sano, Makoto, Morison, Ian M., Yun, Kankatsu, Reeve, Anthony E.
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Zdroj: Pediatric & Developmental Pathology; Mar/Apr2004, Vol. 7 Issue 2, p125-137, 13p
Abstrakt: Wilms tumors with WT1 mutations [WT1(-)] have a stromal-predominant histology with varying extents of rhabdomyogenesis. These tumors also frequently have mutations in the beta-catenin gene (CTNNB1). We have investigated the molecular events that may explain the origins of rhabdomyogenesis in WT1(-) tumors. Of 35 Wilms tumors, we identified 12 with WT1 mutations, of which 9 carried CTNNB1 mutations. We compared WT1 wild-type tumors [WT1(+)] with WT1(-) tumors for histological features, localization of beta-catenin, BcL-2 expression, and apoptosis using an in-situ end-labeling technique. WT1(+) tumors showed triphasic and blastema and epithelial predominant-histology. Expression of WT1, beta-catenin, and Bcl-2 recapitulated those of normal kidney epithelial development. Localization of beta-catenin was observed in the cytoplasm and cytoplasmic membrane of early glomerular epithelial structures. Bcl-2 is also expressed in condensing blastema and early glomerular epithelial structures which had little apoptosis. WT1(-) tumors, regardless of whether CTNNB1 mutations were detected or not, showed a stromal-rich phenotype with abundant expression of betacatenin in the nucleus of the rhabdomyoblasts. Bcl-2 was expressed in rhabdomyoblasts, but not in blastemal cells undergoing apoptosis, suggesting that WT1 regulates Bcl-2 positively in the epithelial pathway, but negatively in the myogenic pathway. These data indicate that mutations in WT1 might alter the Wnt signaling pathway and Bcl-2 related-apoptosis. In WT1(-) tumors, the nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin and Bcl-2 expression are associated with rhabdomyogenesis, and dysregulation of Bcl-2 may be a mechanism by which the histogenesis (loss of blastemal component, muscle differentiation) may be explained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Databáze: Complementary Index
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