Cdkn2asuppresses metastasis in squamous cell carcinomas induced by the gain-of-function mutantp53^R172H

Abstract

p53 (TP53) is the most frequently mutated gene in squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) of the skin and head and neck. Certain p53 mutations are oncogenic and promote invasion and metastasis in SCCs. However, it is unclear how the oncogenic function of mutant p53 is modulated by other molecular alterations that co-exist in SCCs. Here, we show that deletion of the p53 gene and activation of an endogenous p53(R172H) gain-of-function mutation in the skin induce carcinomas with similar kinetics and penetrance. Deletion of p53 induced primarily well-differentiated SCCs. However, most of the tumours induced by p53(R172H) were poorly differentiated SCCs, the only metastatic tumours in this model. These tumours expressed higher levels of cyclin D1 than the well-differentiated SCCs and spindle carcinomas that developed in these mice. Unexpectedly, metastasis was not observed in mice that developed spindle carcinomas, which expressed high levels of the tumour suppressors p16(Ink4a) and p19(Arf) , encoded by Cdkn2a, a gene frequently deleted in human SCCs. Remarkably, deletion of the Cdkn2a gene in p53(R172H) -induced SCCs promoted a dramatic increase in metastasis rates and a shorter survival in mice that developed these tumours, compared with those observed in mice with tumours in which Cdkn2a was deleted in the presence of a p53 loss-of-function mutation or wild-type p53. Accordingly, the survival of patients with head and neck SCCs bearing co-occurring high-risk p53 mutations and CDKN2A homozygous deletions was much shorter than that of patients with tumours in which high-risk p53 mutations did not contain CDKN2A homozygous deletions, or that of patients with tumours in which homozygous CDKN2A deletions co-existed with either low-risk p53 mutations or potential loss-of-function mutations in p53. These findings genetically identify a population of SCC patients with worst outcomes and will help to predict outcomes according to the p53 status and alterations in CDKN2A. Copyright © 2016 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mouse Tumor-Bearing Models as Preclinical Study Platforms for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

“…GEMMs enable the editing of specific genes through the activation or overexpression of oncogenes and the inactivation or silencing of tumor-suppressor genes. The pathological changes in these GEMMs, including hyperkeratosis, abnormal hyperplasia, carcinoma in situ, and invasive carcinoma (180)(181)(182)(183)(184), are similar to those of primary OSCC in humans and 4NQO-induced OSCC in mice. By the age of 5-6 months, histologic examination of L2D1 + /p53 +/− and L2D1 + /p53 −/− mice revealed hyperkeratosis, hyperplasia, severe epithelial dysplasia, and even cancer (181).…”

Reducing protein regulator of cytokinesis 1 as a prospective therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma

“…2b, c ), which is an M-phase cyclin regulating the metaphase/anaphase transition, suggesting that shPRC1 possibly induces a non-metaphase mitotic arrest. Recent study suggests that in p53-null or p53-mutated cancer cells, p14ARF may partly compensate the tumor suppressor role of p53 18 , 19 . Consistently, we observed that p14ARF and cell cycle inhibitor p21 were both upregulated by shPRC1 in Hep3B (p53-null) and HuH-7 (p53-loss-of-function-mutation) cells by Ad-shPRC1 (Figs.…”

<p>Novel genetic alterations and their impact on target therapy response in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma</p>

“…The value of TP53 mutation in diagnosis is different between subtypes. Some are associated with more aggressive HNSCC phenotypes, whereas others are linked with a more indolent pattern of tumor progression 26…”