BRAFV600E Efficient Transformation and Induction of Microsatellite Instability Versus KRASG12V Induction of Senescence Markers in Human Colon Cancer Cells

• Main Authors: Eftychia Oikonomou, Eleni Makrodouli, Maria Evagelidou, Tobias Joyce, Lesley Probert, Alexander Pintzas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2009-11-01
• Series: Neoplasia: An International Journal for Oncology Research
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1476558609800705

In colorectal cancer, BRAF and KRAS oncogenes are mutated in about 15% and 35% respectively at approximately the same stage of the adenoma-carcinoma sequence. Since these two mutations rarely coexist, further analysis to dissect their function of transformation in colon cancer is required. Caco-2 human colon adenocarcinoma cells were stably transfected with BRAFV600E (Caco-BR cells) or KRASG12V (Caco-K cells) oncogenes. BRAFV600E is more efficient in transforming Caco-2 cells and altering their morphology. The dominant nature of BRAFV600E is evident by its ability to render Caco-2 cells tumorigenic in vivo all be it through selective extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) 2 phosphorylation and high levels of cyclin D1. As a consequence, the cell cycle distribution of parental cells is altered and microsatellite instability is introduced. Attenuated ERK activation observed correlated with KSR downregulation by BRAFV600E without further implications to signaling. Highly activated ERK in case of KRASG12V (Caco-K cells) leads to mild transformation causing Caco-K cells to express premature senescence-related markers and acquire growth factor-dependent viability. Interestingly, BRAFWTgets equally activated by upstream KRAS mutations present in colon adenocarcinoma cells such as DLD-1 and SW620. Taken together, these results suggest that the two oncogenes have different transforming capability in colon cancer, although they both use the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway to carry out their effect. In general, BRAFV600E presents greater potential in mediating tumorigenic effect as compared to KRASG12V both in vivo and in vitro. These findings may have implications in personalised diagnosis and targeted therapeutics.