Different mutation status of the beta-catenin gene in carcinogen-induced colon, brain, and oral tumors in rats.

Mutations in the region corresponding to the N-terminal phosphorylation sites (codons 1-51) of the rat beta-catenin gene (Ctnnb1) were investigated in rat colon tumors induced by 1-hydroxyanthraquinone (1-HA) plus methylazoxymethanol (MAM) acetate, by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. The beta-catenin gene was also screened for mutations in rat brain and oral tumors induced by ethyl nitrosourea (ENU) and 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO), respectively. In colon tumors, beta-catenin gene mutations were found in two of three adenomas (67%) and 26 of 28 adenocarcinomas (93%), with a total incidence of 90% (28 of 31 adenomas plus adenocarcinomas). Eight (29%) were (34)G-->T (second position), eight (29%) were (32)G-->A (first position), five (18%) were (34)G-->A (first position), five (18%) were (41)C-->T (second position), one (4%) was (34)G-->A (second position), and one (4%) was (32)A-->G (second position), mutations, resulting in the substitutions of Gly(34)-->Val, Asp(32)-->Asn, Gly(34)-->Arg, Thr(41)-->Ile, Gly(34)-->Glu, and Asp(32)-->Gly, respectively. The (34)G-->T (second position) mutations found in this study were unique compared to those found in other carcinogen-induced rat colon carcinogenesis models. In contrast, beta-catenin gene mutations were not found in either the brain or oral tumors. These results suggest that mutations in the beta-catenin gene in rat tumors occur in specific tissues or organ sites and in a carcinogen-specific manner. Thus, the mutation spectrum in the beta-catenin gene is organ- and chemical carcinogen-specific. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.