Overexpression of human H-ras transgene is responsible for tumors induced by chemical carcinogens in mice.

Level of human prototype H-ras transgene expression in tumors induced by chemical carcinogens (N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea and N-methyl-N-nitrosourea) was analyzed in human H-ras transgenic mice (CB6F1-TgrasH2 Jic mice). All forestomach tumors examined revealed about 2-fold overexpression of the human H-ras transgene with or without point mutation at codon 12 or codon 61. However, endogenous mouse H- and K-ras genes exhibited neither point mutation nor overexpression. These results suggested that increased levels of ras gene products in the cell played an important role in facilitating chemical carcinogenesis in transgenic mice.