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D Clements, Therapeutics and molecular Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
S Asprey, Nottingham, United Kingdom
T McCulloch, Nottingham Unversity Hospitals Trust, Division of Pathology, Nottingham, United Kingdom
T Morris, Pre-clinical Oncology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
S Watson, Pre-clinical Oncology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
S Johnson, Therapeutics and molecular Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, United Kingdom

Correspondence: Simon Johnson, Email: simon.johnson{at}nottingham.ac.uk

Abstract

Angiomyolipomas are benign mesenchymal tumours of smooth muscle, blood vessels and fat which occur sporadically or associated with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), a rare cystic lung disease. Angiomyolipoma and LAM are caused by loss of function of either the TSC-1 or -2 genes resulting in activation of p70S6kinase (S6K1) and uncontrolled cellular proliferation. LAM and angiomyolipoma can be exacerbated by oestrogens but how this occurs is not understood. To address this question we created a xenograft tumour system in nude mice using immortalised angiomyolipoma cells. Angiomyolipoma xenografts had active S6K1, p38, p42/44 MAPK and Akt; they grew more rapidly and had greater Akt phosphorylation after oestrogen treatment of tumour-bearing mice. Transcriptional profiling showed oestrogen induced 300 genes including extra-cellular matrix proteins, proteases, cell cycle regulatory proteins and growth factors including platelet derived growth factor-C (PDGF-C). Biologically active PDGF-C was produced by primary angiomyolipoma cells in culture and PDGF-C protein was present in the neoplastic smooth muscle cells of 5/5 human angiomyolipoma and 4/5 LAM tissues examined by immunohistochemistry. These findings suggest that the response to oestrogen in this model is mediated by activation of Akt and direct and indirect transcriptional events. This model may prove useful for studying the biology and effect of drugs on angiomyolipoma and diseases related to TSC.