Oncogenic Kras is required for both the initiation and maintenance of pancreatic cancer in mice

Pancreatic cancer is almost invariably associated with mutations in the KRAS gene, most commonly KRASG12D, that result in a dominant-active form of the KRAS GTPase. However, how KRAS mutations promote pancreatic carcinogenesis is not fully understood, and whether oncogenic KRAS is required for the maintenance of pancreatic cancer has not been established. To address these questions, we generated two mouse models of pancreatic tumorigenesis: mice transgenic for inducible KrasG12D, which allows for inducible, pancreas-specific, and reversible expression of the oncogenic KrasG12D, with or without inactivation of one allele of the tumor suppressor gene p53. Here, we report that, early in tumorigenesis, induction…

• AA
  American Association for Cancer Research
• PC
  Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
• AC
  American College of Surgeons
• VU
  Vanderbilt University
• UO
  University of Pennsylvania
• UO
  University of Michigan
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: 5-T32-HD007515, T32 HD007505, 1R01CA151588-01, NIH T32, HD007505, T32 GM07315, P30 DK
• NC
  National Cancer Institute