The expressions of β-catenin, c-myc and cyclin D1 in thymoma induced by ionizing radiation

Abstract

Wnt / -catenin signaling pathway play an important role in the development of tumor. Here we try to study its role in tumor through investigating the expressions of -catenin, c-myc and cyclin D1 in thymic lymphomas of mice induced by ionizing radiation. The mouse model of thymic lymphomas induced by irradiation was made according to the Kaplan' method. The mice were killed and the thymus were removed out in 3 and 6 months. The characteristics of the thymus structure was observated by histopathology and the protein expression positions of -catenin, c-myc and cyclin D1 were detected by immunohistochemistry. The pre-cancerous changes and lymphoma were seen in the thymus 3 and 6 months later. The ectopic expression rates of -catenin in the nucleus and the cytoplasm of precancerous lesions and thymoma were 38.5% (5/13) and 53.0% (9/17). The positive expression rate of c-myc and cyclinD1 in precancerous lesions was respectively 46.2% (6/13) and 30.8% (4/13).Their positive expression rate in lymphoma was 64.7% (11/17) and 41.2% (7/17). These results indicate that wnt signaling pathway involved in the occurrence of thymoma induced by irradiation.